What Prince Andrew's Titles Loss Signifies for Sarah Ferguson, Princess Beatrice and Eugenie
The Duke's removal from the final remnants of royal life has not only altered his path - it's sending ripples through his family too.
Fergie's New Status
His ex-wife has now surrendered her ducal status and will now be referred to as Sarah Ferguson.
For Ferguson, sixty-six, the transition will be the most visible.
Throughout this period, she has kept the courtesy royal divorcee title Sarah, York Duchess. Now, she returns to her maiden name of Ferguson.
"She has lost a certain prestige over this," noted one royal commentator. "She definitely does use the title – even her Twitter bio is @TheDuchessSarah."
But the loss of her title may impact her much less than the scandal she's facing separately about her own links with the convicted financier.
Last month, several charities dropped her as patron after correspondence from 2011 revealed that she referred to Epstein her "greatest ally" and appeared to express regret for her negative comments of him.
Business Ventures and Charity Work
Separate from her charitable activities, Ferguson also has multiple commercial enterprises.
And these, too, are more probable to be affected by the Epstein scandal than any change in title, says one royal commentator.
But Ferguson has been a great survivor in monarchical networks. She's kept bouncing back.
"She is the ultimate survivor and master of reinvention," commented one royal author.
The Daughters
For Andrew and Sarah's two daughters, Beatrice, thirty-seven, and Eugenie, 35, there's no formal change.
They will still be referred to as royal princesses, which they have been granted since their birth.
Additionally there is no change to the line of succession.
The prince stays eighth position to the throne, succeeded by his daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, in ninth and twelfth position respectively.
But in reality their standing are "distant" and will likely become much further down as time goes on.
Future Prospects
The princesses are also currently non-official royals, and while they do sometimes take on roles – Princess Eugenie was recently announced as a advisor for the monarch's charity network – experts also suggest they "don't envision a world" in which they would advance into official responsibilities.
"As far as Beatrice and Eugenie are concerned, I think there's an appreciation of the fact that this scandal doesn't involve them, and it's not fair for it to affect them personally in the separate paths they are building for themselves," says one monarchy analyst.
"The princesses are particularly unlucky affected parties, they've had to suffer in silence and have been composed in their silence," adds another monarchy writer.
Ultimate Consequences
In the end, there seems to be minimal uncertainty 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 pomp and the ceremony, the loss of his titles is deeply humiliating.
Therefore lacking those, on a personal level, will significantly count.