🔗 Share this article

Prince Andrew's exit from the last vestiges of monarchical duties has not only reshaped his future - it's creating waves through his family too.

Fergie's New Status

His ex-wife has now lost her duchess title and will now be referred to as Sarah Ferguson.

For Ferguson, sixty-six, the transition will be the most apparent.

For all these years, she has maintained the honorary royal divorcee title Sarah, Duchess of York. Now, she reverts to her birth name of Ferguson.

"She has lost a bit of cachet over this," said one royal commentator. "She certainly utilizes the title – including her Twitter bio is @TheDuchessSarah."

But the relinquishment of her status may impact her much less than the scandal she's dealing with independently about her own connections to the convicted financier.

Recently, several charities dropped her as ambassador after an email from 2011 revealed that she referred to Epstein her "supreme friend" and appeared to express regret for her public criticism of him.

Professional Endeavors and Charity Work

Away from her charitable activities, Ferguson also has various business ventures.

And these, too, are more probable to be impacted by the Epstein scandal than any alteration in status, notes one royal commentator.

But Ferguson has been a great survivor in monarchical networks. She's kept bouncing back.

"She's the supreme perseverer and expert at transforming," said one royal author.

The Princesses

For Andrew and Sarah's offspring, Beatrice, thirty-seven, and Eugenie, 35, there's no official alteration.

They continue to be referred to as princesses, which they have been granted since their birth.

Additionally there is no modification to the line of succession.

Andrew remains eighth position to the throne, succeeded by his children Beatrice and Eugenie, in ninth and twelfth position respectively.

But in reality their standing are "low down" and will likely become much further down as years pass.

Future Prospects

Beatrice and Eugenie are also currently non-working royals, and while they occasionally take on roles – The younger princess was recently named as a advisor for the King's Foundation network – experts also say they "can't see a world" in which they would advance into royal duties.

"As far as Beatrice and Eugenie go, I think there's an appreciation of the fact that this scandal isn't about them, and it's unjust for it to affect them directly in the independent lives they are carving out for themselves," says one royal commentator.

"Their daughters are particularly unlucky victims, they've had to suffer in silence and have been dignified in their reserve," states another monarchy writer.

Ultimate Consequences

Ultimately, there seems to be minimal uncertainty that the individual who will be most affected by these developments will be Prince Andrew himself.

For someone who always liked the royal privileges, the pomp and the pageantry, the loss of his titles is deeply humiliating.

Therefore lacking those, on a personal level, will significantly count.