Sarah, Duchess of York her divorce on 30 May 1996, she retained the style "Her Royal Highness" with the style of other divorced peeresses, eliminating the preface "The" before "Duchess of York". However, in accordance with letters patent issued in August 1996 regulating post-divorce royal titles, Sarah ceased being a "Royal Highness", as she was no longer married to the Duke of York. Her current name, thus, is "Sarah, Duchess of York". Should she marry again, Sarah would lose the use of the style of "Duchess of York". Since the divorce, Sarah still attends some functions with her daughters, such as the investitures of
Sarah, Duchess of York more to bring shame on the family than could ever have been imagined". After four years of official separation, the Duke and Duchess announced the mutual decision to divorce in May 1996. In the years after her divorce, the Duchess claimed that she had received £15,000 a year as a divorce settlement and cited her deal as a spokeswoman with Weight Watchers as her main "source of income". However, subsequent information given by senior officials to "The Sunday Telegraph" revealed that Sarah had received a lump sum settlement of £3 million. The couple shared the custody of their children. By