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The royal is giving up his designations, among them the York's Duke, he has announced in a personal statement.

He has been under growing attention over his associations with convicted criminal Epstein, with demands for the royal household to take action against him.

That now looks to have resulted in the royal deciding to willingly hand back his designations and to give up participation of the Order of the Garter.

In his announcement he said he continued to "strongly dispute the claims against me".

"In talks with the King, and my immediate and wider family, we have decided the ongoing claims about me divert from the responsibilities of the monarch and the royal household," said a statement from him.

"I have decided, as I always have, to put my responsibility to my relatives and country first.

"I support my decision five years ago to withdraw from public life.

"With the monarch's consent, we believe I must now go a additional measure. I will therefore no longer employ my designation or the distinctions which have been conferred upon me. As I have said before, I strongly dispute the allegations against me."

Prince Andrew has encountered a range of scandals, among them a legal case he resolved with the plaintiff, doubts about his money matters and his connection with an alleged foreign agent.

He will remain a prince - but will cease to be the Duke of York, a honor granted from his parent, the former monarch.

Andrew had already ended to be a "active member" and had forfeited the use of his royal style and no longer participated at public engagements. His status now will be even more lessened.

His ex-wife will be known as Sarah Ferguson and no longer York's Duchess, but their daughters will carry on to have the honor of princesses.

The royal has encountered strong attention over his associations with notorious figure the financier, more recently featuring doubts about when he had actually cut off ties.

In his television appearance, he had said that he had ended all links with the financier after they had been seen together in NYC in the end of 2010.

But messages sent in early 2011 later came to light indicating that the prince had in private continued in touch with the financier, for example exchanging a note: "Stay in contact and we'll meet again soon!"

There had been growing annoyance in the monarchy at the scandals that continued to surround the royal.

Soon a late publication by Giuffre will be issued which is likely to bring additional attention on the royal's involvement with the plaintiff and Epstein.