Following Prince Andrew’s recent decision to relinquish his final remaining royal honours due to his association with Jeffrey Epstein, attention has turned to what this means for Sarah Ferguson’s official standing within the royal family.

Sarah Ferguson’s Royal Title Through Marriage and Divorce

When Sarah married Prince Andrew in 1986, she received the title Duchess of York, as Andrew was the monarch’s second son. Though the couple separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996, Sarah retained the courtesy title “Sarah, Duchess of York,” a traditional designation for a divorced royal.

Despite their separation, Sarah and Andrew continued living together at Royal Lodge in Windsor, co-parenting their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and maintaining a close relationship.

The Epstein Scandal and Prince Andrew’s Fall From Public Life

Over recent years, Prince Andrew’s association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has drawn intense scrutiny. In a BBC Newsnight interview, he said he first met Epstein in 1999 and saw him “probably no more than once or twice a year.” Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell attended royal events, including a 2000 celebration for senior members of the royal family.

After Epstein’s 2008 conviction for sexual abuse, Andrew was photographed with him in 2010 in New York. In 2019, Epstein was arrested again on charges of sex trafficking. Around this time, Virginia Giuffre accused Andrew of sexually abusing her when she was a minor, allegations he has firmly denied.

Following Epstein’s death, Andrew released a statement saying he was “appalled by the recent reports of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged crimes,” insisting he never witnessed any inappropriate behavior. During the Newsnight interview, he claimed he had “no recollection” of meeting Giuffre and stated he was at Pizza Express with his daughter on the date in question.

As public pressure mounted, Andrew stepped back from royal duties, acknowledging his connection to Epstein had become a “major distraction.” In 2022, he reached an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre in a civil case, avoiding trial. That same year, he was stripped of his military roles, royal patronages, and the use of “His Royal Highness.”

Amid these controversies, Sarah Ferguson publicly supported her former husband, telling Good Morning Britain: “With Prince Andrew, he’s such a good man. He’s a kind, good man. And I think the spotlight needs to come off him and let him get on with his life to rebuild.”

Prince Andrew Renounces His Duke of York Title

In a new statement released on 17 October, Andrew confirmed he would no longer use any of his titles, saying he was stepping back “to not distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family.” While he will still be referred to as “Prince,” he will no longer hold the title Duke of York. Reports suggest this decision followed pressure from King Charles, ahead of the release of Virginia Giuffre’s memoir Nobody’s Girl.

Impact on Sarah Ferguson’s Title

According to the BBC, Sarah Ferguson has now lost her Duchess of York title. Despite retaining it as a divorced royal for decades, she will revert to her maiden name, Ferguson. Royal commentator Richard Palmer noted this would be “quite a blow,” adding, “She certainly does use the title – even her Twitter bio is @SarahTheDuchess.”

Sarah has also faced criticism over resurfaced emails allegedly sent to Epstein in 2011, referring to him as a “supreme friend” and “my dear, dear friend.” Her spokesperson clarified that the messages were written under legal pressure, stating she had publicly regretted her involvement with him, saying, “Like many people, she was taken in by his lies.”

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie Remain Unaffected

Despite the scandal, Beatrice and Eugenie will retain their royal titles, as they were born princesses and were not directly involved in any accusations. Their positions in the line of succession also remain unchanged. Prince Andrew is still eighth in line to the throne, followed by Beatrice at ninth and Eugenie at twelfth.

Royal experts suggest that while Andrew is unlikely to appear at royal events such as Christmas at Sandringham, his daughters may still be included. Commentator Victoria Murphy said, “There’s an appreciation of the fact that this scandal doesn’t involve them, and it’s not fair for it to impact them directly in the independent lives they are carving out for themselves.”