Prince Andrew's ex-wife Sarah Ferguson will remain a duchess


Prince Andrew may have been stripped of his Royal Highness title, but his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, will remain a duchess.

Friends made clear last night that she will continue to be known as Sarah, Duchess of York despite her former husband being cast out of the Royal Family.

‘That has been her title since their divorce and that is how it will stay,’ one of her associates told the Daily Mail. 

‘Andrew is still the Duke of York, so it is not an issue.’

Andrew became Duke of York, a title traditionally granted to the monarch’s second son, on his marriage to Fergie in 1986.

It is a title of particular significance as it was held by both the Queen’s father, George VI, and her grandfather, George V. The duchess, 62, is allowed to continue styling herself as Sarah, Duchess of York until she marries someone else, at which point she would lose her title.

The couple’s daughters, Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and HRH Princess Eugenie, will keep their Princess and Royal Highness titles. 

Although they tend to be known as Beatrice and Eugenie York in their professional lives, their royal titles are always used in official bulletins such as the Court Circular.

Sarah Ferguson’s Twitter identity is SarahTheDuchess and she has often used her title on the cover of books she’s written.She has also frequently been styled Sarah, Duchess of York while promoting her books and other products around the world.

Another of her friends said: ‘Sarah has absolutely no intention of shrinking away from the limelight. Why should she?

‘She and her daughters have done nothing wrong and they believe Andrew 100 per cent that he has done nothing wrong either.’

Despite divorcing in 1996, Sarah and Andrew are so close that they share Royal Lodge, the Queen Mother’s former home, on the Windsor estate, and regularly visit the Queen together at Windsor Castle.

In 2014, they spent about £13 million on a chalet in the upmarket Swiss ski resort of Verbier with both of their names on the deeds.

Andrew faces growing calls for him to lose or relinquish his Duke of York title from those in the city.

York Central MP Rachael Maskell said it was ‘untenable’ for him ‘to cling on’ to his duke title and his association with the city. ‘This association with York must end.’

Andrew gave up several patronages in York and Yorkshire after ‘stepping back’ from royal duties in 2019.

A spokesman for the duchess declined to comment.The Queen was 'saddened' at having to force Prince Andrew out of the Royal Family but backed Prince Charles in saying he had 'run out of road', insiders have revealed.

Explaining why the monarch forced her son to stop using his HRH title in order to face his sex case in the US civil courts as a 'private citizen', a well-placed source said the decision had been 'difficult' but the Queen knew that she had no choice but to act.

Up until now, they said, the hesitation to strip the Duke of York of his remaining military and charitable affiliations – and quash any hope of returning to public life – had been down to a determination not to be seen to 'pass judgment' on the claims against him. Andrew has constantly denied the allegations.

But his recent failed attempt to have the lawsuit brought by Virginia Roberts thrown out of court on technical grounds, leaving him facing a jury trial in the autumn, meant that action had to be taken sooner rather than later.

The source said: 'The hesitation up until now at Buckingham Palace has resulted from their determination not to be seen to pass judgment [on the allegations]. That is not their role and there are court proceedings to determine that.

'But what has happened this week is that he [Andrew] is now in a world in which his name will never be cleared – whether he wins or loses. 

'Having a member of the Royal Family using their title as they go to court to defend themselves against those kind of allegations is obviously unacceptable.'

They added: 'This week's judgment meant that Andrew simply ran out of road.' Prince Andrew may have been stripped of his Royal Highness title, but his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, will remain a duchess.

Friends made clear last night that she will continue to be known as Sarah, Duchess of York despite her former husband being cast out of the Royal Family.

‘That has been her title since their divorce and that is how it will stay,’ one of her associates told the Daily Mail. 

‘Andrew is still the Duke of York, so it is not an issue.’

Andrew became Duke of York, a title traditionally granted to the monarch’s second son, on his marriage to Fergie in 1986.

It is a title of particular significance as it was held by both the Queen’s father, George VI, and her grandfather, George V. 

The duchess, 62, is allowed to continue styling herself as Sarah, Duchess of York until she marries someone else, at which point she would lose her title.

The couple’s daughters, Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and HRH Princess Eugenie, will keep their Princess and Royal Highness titles. 

Although they tend to be known as Beatrice and Eugenie York in their professional lives, their royal titles are always used in official bulletins such as the Court Circular.

Sarah Ferguson’s Twitter identity is SarahTheDuchess and she has often used her title on the cover of books she’s written.

She has also frequently been styled Sarah, Duchess of York while promoting her books and other products around the world.

Another of her friends said: ‘Sarah has absolutely no intention of shrinking away from the limelight. Why should she?

‘She and her daughters have done nothing wrong and they believe Andrew 100 per cent that he has done nothing wrong either.’

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