SARAH Ferguson is “to remain the Duchess of York” even after Prince Andrew was stripped of his HRH titles and honours by the Queen.
Prince Andrew’s former wife is said to have no intentions of ditching the title.
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Friends of Sarah told the Daily Mail: “That has been her title since their divorce and that is how it will stay.
“Andrew is still the Duke of York, so it is not an issue.”
Andrew became Duke of York – a title typically reserved for the monarch’s second son – on his marriage to Fergie in 1986.
The title has been held by the Queen’s father George VI and her grandfather, George V.
Despite divorcing Andrew in 1996, Fergie will be allowed to continuing using the title until she marries someone else, at which point she would lose it.
The couple’s daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie will also keep their Royal Highness titles.
Fergie has used her title to promote her books and other products around the world and even uses it in her Twitter handle, which is SarahTheDuchess.
Another friend told the publication: “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.”
It comes as York Central MP Rachel Maskell said it was “untenable” for Prince Andrew to “cling on” to his duke title and his association to the city, saying: “This association with York must end.”
The duke was stripped of his royal title and all military honours on Thursday after a face-to-face showdown with the Queen.
It comes amid growing anger at the Duke of York’s sex assault lawsuit with Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre.
His military affiliations and royal patronages have been returned to the Queen with immediate effect after he was accused of sexually assaulting Virginia Roberts Giuffre when she was just 17.
The Duke will also no longer be able to use ‘His Royal Highness’ – and will face his US lawsuit as a “private citizen” meaning he can’t hide behind royal privileges.
It comes after a judge sensationally gave the go-ahead for a civil trial before a jury in New York later this year.
The royal, 61, vehemently denies any wrongdoing.
Buckingham Palace said in a statement this evening: “With The Queen’s approval and agreement, The Duke of York’s military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen.
“The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.”
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