🔗 Share this article

Prince Andrew's exit from the final remnants of monarchical duties has not only reshaped his future - it's sending ripples through his immediate relatives too.

Fergie's New Status

His ex-wife has now surrendered her ducal status and will simply be known as Sarah Ferguson.

For Ferguson, 66, the transition will be the most visible.

Throughout this period, she has maintained the honorary royal divorcee title Sarah, Duchess of York. Currently, she reverts to her birth name of Ferguson.

"She has lost a certain prestige over this," noted one royal commentator. "She certainly utilizes the title – including her social media profile is @SarahTheDuchess."

But the loss of her title may affect her much less than the controversy she's dealing with independently about her own connections to Jeffrey Epstein.

Recently, several charities dropped her as ambassador after an email from 2011 showed that she referred to Epstein her "greatest ally" and appeared to express regret for her negative comments of him.

Business Ventures and Charity Work

Away from her charitable activities, Ferguson also has multiple commercial enterprises.

And these, too, are more likely to be affected by the Epstein scandal than any change in title, notes one monarchy analyst.

But Ferguson has been a great survivor in monarchical networks. She has continued bouncing back.

"She is the ultimate survivor and master of reinvention," commented one royal author.

The Princesses

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

They will still be known as princesses, which they have been granted since birth.

There is also no modification to the royal succession order.

The prince stays eighth in line to the crown, succeeded by his daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, in ninth and twelfth position in that order.

But in reality their positions are "distant" and will likely become even more remote as years pass.

Coming Opportunities

The princesses are also currently non-working royals, and while they occasionally accept positions – The younger princess was recently named as a advisor for the monarch's charity program – commentators also suggest they "can't see a scenario" in which they would step up into official responsibilities.

"As far as Beatrice and Eugenie go, I think there's an understanding of the fact that this scandal doesn't involve them, and it's unjust for it to impact them personally in the independent lives they are carving out for themselves," explains one royal commentator.

"The princesses are particularly unlucky victims, they've had to suffer in silence and have been composed in their reserve," states another royal author.

Ultimate Consequences

Ultimately, there seems to be little doubt that the individual who will be most impacted by these developments will be Prince Andrew himself.

For a man who consistently enjoyed the trappings of royalty, the ceremony and the ceremony, the relinquishment of his honors is profoundly embarrassing.

So to not have those, on a personal level, will really matter.