What Prince Andrew's Removal of Titles Means for Fergie, Princess Beatrice and Eugenie
The Duke's exit from the final remnants of monarchical duties has not only altered his path - it's sending ripples through his immediate relatives too.
Sarah Ferguson's New Status
His ex-wife has now lost her duchess title and will simply be known as Sarah Ferguson.
For Sarah, 66, the transition will be the most apparent.
For all these years, she has kept the courtesy royal divorcee title Sarah, Duchess of York. Now, she returns to her maiden name of Ferguson.
"She has lost a certain prestige over this," said one monarchy expert. "She definitely utilizes the title – including her social media profile is @SarahTheDuchess."
But the relinquishment of her status may affect her much less than the controversy she's facing separately about her own connections to the convicted financier.
Last month, several charities removed her as patron after an email from 2011 showed that she called Epstein her "supreme friend" and seemed to apologise for her negative comments of him.
Professional Endeavors and Charity Work
Away from her philanthropy, Ferguson also has multiple commercial enterprises.
And these ventures, are more probable to be impacted by the Epstein scandal than any alteration in status, notes one monarchy analyst.
But Ferguson has been a great survivor in royal circles. She has continued bouncing back.
"She is the ultimate survivor and expert at transforming," said one monarchy writer.
The Princesses
For Andrew and Sarah's offspring, Beatrice, thirty-seven, and Eugenie, 35, there's no formal change.
They will still be known as royal princesses, which they have been granted since their birth.
Additionally there is no change to the royal succession order.
The prince stays eighth position to the throne, followed by his daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, in ninth and twelfth place in that order.
But in practice their standing are "low down" and will likely become even more remote as time goes on.
Coming Opportunities
Beatrice and Eugenie are also presently non-working royals, and while they occasionally accept positions – Princess Eugenie was recently announced as a advisor for the monarch's charity program – commentators also say they "can't see a world" in which they would advance into official responsibilities.
"As far as Beatrice and Eugenie are concerned, I think there's an understanding of the reality that this controversy doesn't involve them, and it's not fair for it to affect them directly in the independent lives they are building for themselves," says one royal commentator.
"The princesses are most unfortunate affected parties, they've had to suffer in silence and have been dignified in their silence," adds another monarchy writer.
Final Impact
In the end, there appears to be minimal uncertainty that the person who will be most affected by all of this will be the Duke himself.
For someone who consistently enjoyed the royal privileges, the ceremony and the ceremony, the relinquishment of his honors is deeply humiliating.
Therefore lacking those, on a personal level, will significantly count.