How the Duke's Titles Loss Signifies for Fergie, Beatrice and Princess Eugenie
The Duke's removal from the last vestiges of monarchical duties has not only altered his path - it's sending ripples through his immediate relatives too.
Fergie's New Status
His ex-wife has now lost her duchess title and will now be referred to as Sarah Ferguson.
For Sarah, sixty-six, the transition will be the most visible.
Throughout this period, she has maintained the honorary royal divorcee title Sarah, Duchess of York. Now, she returns to her maiden name of Ferguson.
"She has lost a bit of cachet over this," noted one monarchy expert. "She certainly 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 dealing with independently about her own links with Jeffrey Epstein.
Recently, several charities removed her as patron after an email from 2011 showed that she called Epstein her "supreme friend" and appeared to express regret for her public criticism of him.
Business Ventures and Charity Work
Separate from her philanthropy, Ferguson also has various business ventures.
And these, too, 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 monarchical networks. She has continued bouncing back.
"She is the supreme perseverer and expert at transforming," commented one royal author.
The Daughters
For the couple's offspring, Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 35, there's no formal change.
They continue to be known 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 in line to the throne, succeeded by his children Beatrice and Eugenie, in ninth and twelfth position in that order.
But in practice their standing are "low down" and will probably become much further down as time goes on.
Coming Opportunities
The princesses are also presently non-working royals, and while they occasionally take on roles – The younger princess was recently announced as a mentor for the monarch's charity network – commentators also say they "can't see a world" in which they would step up into royal duties.
"As far as Beatrice and Eugenie go, I think there's an understanding of the reality that this scandal doesn't involve them, and it's unjust for it to affect them directly in the independent lives they are carving out for themselves," explains one royal commentator.
"Their daughters are most unfortunate affected parties, they've had to suffer in silence and have been composed in their reserve," adds another royal author.
Ultimate Consequences
In the end, there seems to be minimal uncertainty that the individual who will be most affected by all of this will be the Duke himself.
For a man who always liked the royal privileges, the ceremony and the pageantry, the relinquishment of his honors is deeply humiliating.
Therefore lacking these, on a individual basis, will really matter.