The Duke of York gives up his honor as Duke of York.

The royal is giving up his designations, including the York's Duke, he has stated in a personal statement.

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

That now looks to have resulted in the royal deciding to voluntarily hand back his honors and to relinquish membership of the prestigious order.

In his announcement he said he continued to "vigorously dispute the claims against me".

"In discussion with the monarch, and my close and wider family, we have agreed the persistent allegations about me distract from the work of the monarch and the monarchy," said a statement from Prince Andrew.

"I have chosen, as I always have, to put my obligation to my kin and nation first.

"I uphold my choice five years ago to step back from public life.

"With the King's approval, we think I must now go a further step. I will therefore no longer employ my title or the distinctions which have been bestowed on me. As I have said earlier, I strongly dispute the allegations against me."

He has faced a range of controversies, such as a lawsuit he ended with an accuser, inquiries about his money matters and his association with an suspected intelligence operative.

He will continue to be a member of royalty - but will stop to be the Duke of York, a honor bestowed from his parent, the Queen Elizabeth II.

Andrew had already ceased to be a "working royal" and had lost the use of his His Royal Highness designation and no longer was seen at public engagements. His status now will be even more lessened.

His former spouse will be known as Ferguson and no longer York's Duchess, but their offspring will persist to have the title of princesses.

He has faced intense scrutiny over his connections with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, more recently involving doubts about when he had actually severed communication.

In his BBC Newsnight interview, Prince Andrew had said that he had cut off all connections with Jeffrey Epstein after they had been seen together in NYC in the end of 2010.

But correspondence sent in early 2011 later emerged implying that the prince had in private remained in contact with Epstein, such as swapping a note: "Keep in close touch and we'll play some more soon!"

There had been mounting annoyance in the royal household at the controversies that persisted to envelop the prince.

Soon a late publication by the accuser will be published which is likely to draw additional focus on Prince Andrew's association with Virginia Giuffre and Epstein.