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Prince Andrew is giving up his designations, among them the Duke of York, he has announced in a personal statement.

He has been under increasing scrutiny over his links with convicted criminal Epstein, with calls for the monarchy to take measures against him.

That now seems to have resulted in the figure deciding to voluntarily return his designations and to give up participation of the Garter Order.

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

"In consultation with the sovereign, and my immediate and wider family, we have agreed the ongoing claims about me divert from the work of the monarch and the Royal Family," said a message from him.

"I have opted, as I always have, to put my duty to my kin and nation first.

"I stand by my choice five years ago to withdraw from official duties.

"With His Majesty's agreement, we believe I must now go a further step. I will therefore no longer use my honor or the awards which have been bestowed on me. As I have said earlier, I strongly deny the allegations against me."

Prince Andrew has faced a range of controversies, such as a legal case he ended with the plaintiff, inquiries about his economic affairs and his connection with an accused Chinese spy.

He will remain a royal - but will discontinue to be the York's Duke, a honor received from his parent, the former monarch.

Andrew had already stopped to be a "working royal" and had lost the use of his HRH title and no longer appeared at state occasions. His status now will be even more diminished.

His ex-wife will be known as Sarah and no longer York's Duchess, but their offspring will carry on to have the designation of royal princess.

The royal has faced strong attention over his connections with convicted sex offender the financier, more recently including doubts about when he had truly cut off ties.

In his television appearance, the royal had said that he had severed all connections with the financier after they had been photographed together in NYC in the end of 2010.

But messages sent in the following year later surfaced implying that the prince had in private remained in communication with the financier, including sending a note: "Keep in close touch and we'll have further interactions soon!"

There had been increasing annoyance in the monarchy at the scandals that persisted to plague the figure.

In the coming days a late publication by Virginia Giuffre will be published which is expected to bring more focus on Prince Andrew's connection with Virginia Giuffre and Jeffrey Epstein.