How the Duke's Removal of Titles Means for Sarah Ferguson, Beatrice and Eugenie
The Duke's removal from the last vestiges of royal life has not only reshaped his future - it's creating waves through his family too.
Sarah Ferguson's Title Change
His ex-wife has now surrendered her ducal status and will simply be known as Sarah Ferguson.
For Sarah, sixty-six, the transition will be the most apparent.
Throughout this period, she has kept the courtesy royal divorcee title Sarah, Duchess of York. Now, she returns to her birth name of Ferguson.
"She has lost a certain prestige over this," said one monarchy expert. "She certainly does use the title โ even 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 links with Jeffrey Epstein.
Recently, multiple organizations dropped her as ambassador after an email from over a decade ago revealed that she called Epstein her "greatest ally" and seemed to apologise for her negative comments of him.
Professional Endeavors and Charity Work
Away from her philanthropy, Ferguson also has various business ventures.
And these ventures, are more probable to be impacted by the Epstein controversy than any alteration in status, notes one royal commentator.
But Ferguson has been a great survivor in monarchical networks. She's kept recovering strongly.
"She's the supreme perseverer and expert at transforming," commented one royal author.
The Princesses
For the couple's two daughters, Beatrice, thirty-seven, and Eugenie, thirty-five, there's no official alteration.
They will still be referred to as royal princesses, which they have been entitled to since their birth.
Additionally there is no change to the line of succession.
The prince stays eighth position to the crown, succeeded by his daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, in ninth and twelfth position respectively.
But in reality their standing are "low down" and will probably become even more remote as years pass.
Future Prospects
The princesses are also presently non-official royals, and while they do sometimes take on roles โ Princess Eugenie was recently named as a advisor for the monarch's charity network โ commentators also suggest they "don't envision a scenario" in which they would advance into royal duties.
"Regarding Beatrice and Eugenie go, I think there's an appreciation of the fact that this controversy isn't about them, and it's unjust for it to impact them personally in the independent lives they are building for themselves," explains one royal commentator.
"Their daughters are particularly unlucky affected parties, they've had to suffer in silence and have been dignified in their silence," adds another royal author.
Ultimate Consequences
In the end, there appears to be minimal uncertainty that the person who will be most impacted by all of this will be the Duke himself.
For someone who consistently enjoyed the royal privileges, the pomp and the ceremony, the loss of his titles is deeply humiliating.
So to not have these, on a individual basis, will significantly count.