How the Duke's Removal of Titles Means for Sarah Ferguson, Beatrice and Princess Eugenie
The Duke's removal from the final remnants of monarchical duties has not only altered his path - it's creating waves through his immediate relatives too.
Sarah Ferguson's New Status
His ex-wife has now surrendered her ducal status and will simply be known as Sarah Ferguson.
For Sarah, 66, the transition will be the most visible.
Throughout this period, she has maintained the honorary royal post-marital designation Sarah, Duchess of York. Currently, she reverts to her birth name of Ferguson.
"She will have lost a bit of cachet over this," said one monarchy expert. "She definitely does use the title – including her social media profile is @TheDuchessSarah."
But the relinquishment of her status may impact her much less than the controversy she's dealing with independently about her own connections to the convicted financier.
Recently, several charities dropped her as patron after correspondence from over a decade ago 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 philanthropy, Ferguson also has various business ventures.
And these ventures, are more probable to be affected by the Epstein controversy than any alteration in status, says one royal commentator.
But Ferguson has been a great survivor in monarchical networks. She has continued recovering strongly.
"She's the ultimate survivor and expert at transforming," said one royal author.
The Daughters
For Andrew and Sarah's two daughters, Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, thirty-five, there's no formal change.
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 royal succession order.
The prince stays eighth position to the crown, followed by his daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, in ninth and twelfth place respectively.
But in practice their positions are "distant" and will probably become even more remote as years pass.
Coming Opportunities
Beatrice and Eugenie are also currently non-working royals, and while they do sometimes take on roles – Princess Eugenie was recently named as a advisor for the monarch's charity program – 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 understanding of the fact that this scandal isn't about them, and it's unjust for it to affect them directly in the independent lives they are carving out for themselves," explains one monarchy analyst.
"The princesses are most unfortunate victims, they've had to suffer in silence and have been composed in their silence," states another royal author.
Final Impact
In the end, there appears to be minimal uncertainty that the person who will be most impacted by all of this will be Prince Andrew himself.
For someone who always liked the trappings of royalty, the ceremony and the ceremony, the loss of his titles is profoundly embarrassing.
So to not have these, on a individual basis, will really matter.