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Prince Andrew is giving up his designations, among them the York's Duke, he has announced in a individual message.

He has been under growing pressure over his connections with disgraced financier Epstein, with demands for the Palace to take action against him.

That now seems to have caused the prince deciding to voluntarily hand back his designations and to surrender participation of the Order of the Garter.

In his statement he said he continued to "vigorously deny the claims against me".

"In talks with the sovereign, and my direct and broader family, we have decided the ongoing accusations about me take away from the work of His Majesty and the royal household," said a announcement from the royal.

"I have opted, as I always have, to put my responsibility to my relatives and country first.

"I uphold my resolution five years ago to stand back from official duties.

"With His Majesty's approval, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my designation or the distinctions which have been bestowed on me. As I have said previously, I strongly refute the accusations against me."

He has faced a series of issues, among them a court case he resolved with an accuser, questions about his money matters and his association with an suspected foreign agent.

He will remain a royal - but will discontinue to be the York's Duke, a designation received from his parent, the late Queen Elizabeth.

Andrew had already ended to be a "active member" and had lost the use of his HRH title and no longer participated at official royal events. His role now will be even more diminished.

His former spouse will be known as Sarah and no longer the Duchess, but their children will persist to have the title of royal princess.

The royal has faced strong attention over his connections with convicted sex offender the financier, more lately including questions about when he had truly cut off communication.

In his television appearance, Prince Andrew had said that he had cut off all ties with Jeffrey Epstein after they had been seen together in NYC in late 2010.

But correspondence sent in February 2011 later surfaced indicating that the prince had privately remained in contact with the financier, such as exchanging a note: "Keep in close touch and we'll have further interactions soon!"

There had been increasing annoyance in Buckingham Palace at the scandals that persisted to envelop the royal.

In the coming days a book released after death by Giuffre will be published which is anticipated to draw more scrutiny on his involvement with Ms Giuffre and Epstein.