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

He has been under growing pressure over his associations with sex offender the financier, with requests for the monarchy to take action against him.

That now looks to have resulted in the figure deciding to of his own accord hand back his designations and to give up membership of the Garter Order.

In his message he said he continued to "firmly refute the claims against me".

"In consultation with the King, and my direct and wider family, we have concluded the continued allegations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the monarchy," said a message from him.

"I have chosen, as I always have, to put my obligation to my relatives and land first.

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

"With His Majesty's consent, we think I must now go a additional measure. I will therefore no longer hold my designation or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said earlier, I firmly deny the claims against me."

The royal has faced a number of controversies, such as a lawsuit he settled with the plaintiff, questions about his finances and his association with an alleged foreign agent.

He will stay a royal - but will cease to be the Duke of York, a honor granted from his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth.

Andrew had already ceased to be a "participating figure" and had lost the use of his HRH title and no longer participated at public engagements. His role now will be even more diminished.

His ex-wife will be known as Sarah and no longer Duchess of York, but their children will continue to have the title of princess.

He has faced severe attention over his connections with disgraced financier Epstein, more in recent times involving inquiries about when he had actually ended communication.

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

But emails sent in the following year later emerged suggesting that he had confidentially stayed in communication with the financier, such as swapping a message: "Remain connected and we'll meet again soon!"

There had been growing annoyance in the monarchy at the scandals that remained to envelop the royal.

Next week a posthumous memoir by Virginia Giuffre will be published which is likely to cast further focus on Prince Andrew's involvement with Virginia Giuffre and the financier.