🔗 Share this article

The royal is relinquishing his honors, including the Duke of York, he has announced in a individual message.

He has been under mounting scrutiny over his connections with sex offender the financier, with requests for the royal household to take measures against him.

That now seems to have led to the royal deciding to willingly hand back his titles and to surrender involvement of the prestigious order.

In his statement he said he continued to "firmly deny the allegations against me".

"In consultation with the King, and my immediate and extended family, we have decided the persistent claims about me take away from the work 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 relatives and country first.

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

"With the monarch's consent, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer employ my title or the awards which have been bestowed on me. As I have said previously, I vigorously dispute the allegations against me."

Prince Andrew has been involved in a range of controversies, such as a lawsuit he ended with the plaintiff, doubts about his economic affairs and his connection with an accused foreign agent.

He will stay a member of royalty - but will stop to be the York's Duke, a honor granted from his parent, the former monarch.

The prince had already stopped to be a "working royal" and had forfeited the use of his His Royal Highness designation and no longer was seen at public engagements. His status now will be even more diminished.

His former spouse will be known as Ferguson and no longer the Duchess, but their children will persist to have the designation of princesses.

Prince Andrew has faced strong examination over his links with disgraced financier the financier, more recently featuring inquiries about when he had truly severed ties.

In his media discussion, the royal had said that he had cut off all links with the financier after they had been pictured together in NYC in late 2010.

But emails sent in the following year later emerged suggesting that the prince had privately remained in touch with him, such as swapping a communication: "Stay in contact and we'll have further interactions soon!"

There had been mounting displeasure in Buckingham Palace at the controversies that persisted to surround the figure.

Next week a late publication by Giuffre will be released which is expected to draw more attention on Prince Andrew's connection with Virginia Giuffre and the financier.