What Prince Andrew's Titles Loss Signifies for Fergie, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie

York Family Members

Prince Andrew's removal from the final remnants of royal life has not only altered his path - it's creating waves through his immediate relatives too.

Fergie's Title Change

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 visible.

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

"She has lost a bit of cachet over this," said one royal commentator. "She definitely does use the title – even her Twitter bio is @TheDuchessSarah."

But the relinquishment of her status may impact her much less than the controversy she's dealing with independently about her own links with Jeffrey Epstein.

Last month, multiple organizations removed her as ambassador after correspondence from 2011 showed that she referred to Epstein her "supreme friend" and seemed to apologise for her public criticism of him.

Professional Endeavors and Charity Work

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

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

But Ferguson has been a remarkable endure in royal circles. She's kept recovering strongly.

"She's the ultimate survivor and master of reinvention," said one royal author.

The Daughters

Princess Beatrice at event
Princess Beatrice and Princess Beatrice seen at a Coronation Big Lunch in last year

For the couple's two daughters, Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 35, there's no official alteration.

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

Additionally there is no modification to the royal succession order.

The prince stays eighth position to the throne, followed by his daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, in ninth and twelfth position respectively.

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

Future Prospects

The princesses are also presently non-working royals, and while they occasionally take on roles – The younger princess was recently named as a mentor for the monarch's charity network – commentators 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 controversy isn't about them, and it's not fair for it to affect them directly in the independent lives they are carving out for themselves," explains one royal commentator.

"The princesses are most unfortunate victims, they've had to endure quietly and have been dignified in their reserve," states another monarchy writer.

Final Impact

Ultimately, there appears to be minimal uncertainty that the person who will be most impacted by these developments will be Prince Andrew himself.

For someone 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 really matter.

Ian Mann
Ian Mann

A seasoned life coach and writer passionate about empowering others through mindful planning and personal development.