🔗 Share this article

Prince Andrew is relinquishing his titles, among them the York's Duke, he has announced in a personal statement.

He has been under growing scrutiny over his links with disgraced financier the financier, with requests for the royal household to take steps against him.

That now looks to have caused the figure deciding to willingly return his honors and to give up involvement of the prestigious order.

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

"In discussion with the sovereign, and my immediate and extended family, we have decided the continued allegations about me distract from the responsibilities of His Majesty and the royal household," said a announcement from the royal.

"I have decided, as I always have, to put my obligation to my relatives and nation first.

"I uphold my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.

"With His Majesty's consent, we feel I must now go a additional measure. I will therefore no longer employ my title or the awards which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously refute the claims against me."

Prince Andrew has encountered a range of issues, including a legal case he settled with Virginia Giuffre, inquiries about his economic affairs and his connection with an suspected Chinese spy.

He will continue to be a royal - but will stop to be the York's Duke, a designation received from his mother, the former monarch.

He had already ended to be a "participating figure" and had forfeited the use of his HRH title and no longer participated at official royal events. His status 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 royal princess.

The royal has been under intense attention over his links with convicted sex offender Epstein, more recently involving questions about when he had actually severed ties.

In his television appearance, he had said that he had severed all links with Epstein after they had been seen together in NYC in December 2010.

But correspondence sent in the following year later surfaced implying that he had privately continued in touch with him, for example swapping a communication: "Stay in contact and we'll play some more soon!"

There had been mounting displeasure in Buckingham Palace at the scandals that remained to surround the prince.

Soon a late publication by Virginia Giuffre will be released which is likely to bring further focus on Prince Andrew's connection with the plaintiff and Jeffrey Epstein.