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He is giving up his titles, such as the Duke of York, he has stated in a own words.

He has been under increasing attention over his associations with convicted criminal the financier, with calls for the monarchy to take steps against him.

That now seems to have resulted in the royal deciding to voluntarily hand back his designations and to give up membership of the Garter Order.

In his announcement he said he continued to "strongly deny the accusations against me".

"In consultation with the monarch, and my direct and broader family, we have concluded the continued claims about me divert from the duties of the King and the monarchy," said a message from Prince Andrew.

"I have decided, as I always have, to put my obligation to my kin and land first.

"I uphold my decision five years ago to step back from royal engagements.

"With His Majesty's approval, we think I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer employ my honor or the distinctions which have been conferred upon me. As I have said before, I strongly deny the accusations against me."

The royal has been involved in a range of scandals, among them a lawsuit he settled with an accuser, questions about his money matters and his involvement with an accused foreign agent.

He will remain a prince - but will discontinue to be the Duke of York, a designation received from his parent, the late Queen Elizabeth.

The prince had already ended to be a "participating figure" and had given up the use of his HRH title and no longer appeared at state occasions. His position now will be even more diminished.

His previous partner will be known as Ferguson and no longer York's Duchess, but their daughters will continue to have the designation of princesses.

The royal has been under severe attention over his links with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, more recently involving questions about when he had really cut off contact.

In his media discussion, he had said that he had ended all ties with the financier after they had been photographed together in New York in the end of 2010.

But messages sent in February 2011 later surfaced suggesting that the prince had confidentially stayed in touch with Epstein, including exchanging a note: "Stay in contact and we'll play some more soon!"

There had been growing annoyance in the royal household at the scandals that remained to plague the royal.

Soon a book released after death by Virginia Giuffre will be issued which is likely to draw more attention on his connection with the plaintiff and Jeffrey Epstein.