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The royal is giving up his titles, such as the the Duke, he has stated in a own words.

He has been under increasing pressure over his links with convicted criminal Epstein, with demands for the Palace to take measures against him.

That now appears to have resulted in the royal deciding to of his own accord return his honors and to surrender participation of the prestigious order.

In his message he said he continued to "strongly refute the allegations against me".

"In consultation with the King, and my immediate and broader family, we have decided the ongoing claims about me take away from the duties of the monarch and the royal household," said a message from him.

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

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

"With His Majesty's agreement, we feel I must now go a further step. I will therefore no longer use my title or the distinctions which have been granted to me. As I have said before, I firmly deny the claims against me."

Prince Andrew has been involved in a number of controversies, including a lawsuit he ended with an accuser, inquiries about his money matters and his involvement with an alleged foreign agent.

He will stay a member of royalty - but will cease to be the Duke of York, a designation received from his the late Queen, the former monarch.

He had already ceased to be a "participating figure" and had given up the use of his His Royal Highness designation and no longer participated at public engagements. His status now will be even more diminished.

His former spouse will be known as Sarah and no longer Duchess of York, but their offspring will carry on to have the honor of royal princess.

He has encountered intense attention over his connections with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, more recently featuring inquiries about when he had actually severed ties.

In his BBC Newsnight interview, the royal had said that he had ended all links with the financier after they had been seen together in NYC in December 2010.

But correspondence sent in early 2011 later surfaced suggesting that the prince had in private remained in contact with the financier, for example sending a note: "Stay in contact and we'll have further interactions soon!"

There had been increasing annoyance in the royal household at the scandals that remained to surround the prince.

In the coming days a posthumous memoir by Virginia Giuffre will be issued which is anticipated to bring further focus on the royal's connection with Virginia Giuffre and the financier.