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He is surrendering his designations, among them the the Duke, he has announced in a personal statement.

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

That now looks to have led to the figure deciding to willingly return his honors and to surrender membership of the prestigious order.

In his message he said he continued to "firmly dispute the accusations against me".

"In consultation with the sovereign, and my immediate and broader family, we have decided the persistent allegations about me take away from the work of the King and the Royal Family," said a statement from Prince Andrew.

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

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

"With the King's agreement, we think I must now go a further step. I will therefore no longer employ my title or the distinctions which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I strongly dispute the accusations against me."

He has faced a number of controversies, among them a lawsuit he resolved with the plaintiff, inquiries about his money matters and his involvement with an suspected Chinese spy.

He will remain a member of royalty - but will cease to be the Duke of York, a honor received from his the late Queen, the late Queen Elizabeth.

The prince had already ceased to be a "working royal" and had forfeited the use of his royal style and no longer appeared at state occasions. His position now will be even more lessened.

His former spouse will be known as Sarah Ferguson and no longer York's Duchess, but their children will carry on to have the designation of princess.

Prince Andrew has encountered strong scrutiny over his links with disgraced financier the financier, more lately featuring inquiries about when he had truly severed ties.

In his BBC Newsnight interview, he had said that he had cut off all ties with Jeffrey Epstein after they had been seen together in New York in December 2010.

But emails sent in the following year later surfaced indicating that he had privately continued in communication with Epstein, such as swapping a note: "Stay in contact and we'll have further interactions soon!"

There had been increasing annoyance in Buckingham Palace at the controversies that remained to envelop the prince.

Soon a late publication by Giuffre will be published which is expected to bring additional scrutiny on his involvement with Virginia Giuffre and Jeffrey Epstein.