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Prince Andrew is surrendering his titles, including the York's Duke, he has announced in a individual message.

He has been under increasing scrutiny over his links with sex offender the financier, with demands for the Palace to take measures against him.

That now looks to have caused the prince deciding to voluntarily hand back his designations and to relinquish participation of the Order of the Garter.

In his statement he said he continued to "firmly refute the accusations against me".

"In consultation with the monarch, and my immediate and broader family, we have decided the ongoing claims about me distract from the work of the King and the royal household," said a announcement from Prince Andrew.

"I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and land first.

"I support my choice five years ago to withdraw from royal engagements.

"With the monarch's agreement, we think I must now go a further step. I will therefore no longer employ my designation or the distinctions which have been bestowed on me. As I have said before, I firmly deny the claims against me."

The royal has encountered a series of scandals, among them a legal case he settled with an accuser, doubts about his economic affairs and his association with an alleged foreign agent.

He will remain a prince - but will discontinue to be the York's Duke, a honor bestowed from his the late Queen, the Queen Elizabeth II.

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

His ex-wife will be known as Ferguson and no longer York's Duchess, but their daughters will continue to have the title of royal princess.

The royal has been under strong attention over his connections with notorious figure the financier, more lately featuring questions about when he had really severed contact.

In his BBC Newsnight interview, the royal had said that he had severed all ties with the financier after they had been seen together in New York in the end of 2010.

But emails sent in February 2011 later surfaced implying that Andrew had in private remained in contact with him, such as swapping a message: "Remain connected and we'll play some more soon!"

There had been increasing annoyance in the monarchy at the scandals that continued to envelop the figure.

Soon a late publication by Virginia Giuffre will be issued which is likely to bring additional scrutiny on his association with Virginia Giuffre and Epstein.