🔗 Share this article

Prince Andrew is surrendering his designations, such as the Duke of York, he has announced in a personal statement.

He has been under growing attention over his connections with convicted criminal Epstein, with demands for the royal household to take action against him.

That now appears to have led to the figure deciding to willingly hand back his designations and to surrender involvement of the Garter Order.

In his statement he said he continued to "strongly deny the accusations against me".

"In discussion with the sovereign, and my immediate and broader family, we have decided the persistent allegations about me take away from the work of the monarch and the monarchy," said a announcement from the royal.

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

"I stand by my resolution five years ago to withdraw from royal engagements.

"With His Majesty's approval, we believe I must now go a further step. I will therefore no longer hold my designation or the awards which have been bestowed on me. As I have said earlier, I vigorously dispute the accusations against me."

He has been involved in a series of scandals, such as a lawsuit he settled with the plaintiff, doubts about his finances and his connection with an alleged foreign agent.

He will continue to be a member of royalty - but will stop to be the the Duke, a title granted from his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth.

The prince had already ceased to be a "active member" and had lost the use of his HRH title and no longer was seen at state occasions. His role now will be even more reduced.

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

The royal has been under strong scrutiny over his links with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, more in recent times featuring doubts about when he had truly ended ties.

In his television appearance, he had said that he had ended all links with Jeffrey Epstein after they had been pictured together in the city in late 2010.

But messages sent in early 2011 later came to light indicating that Andrew had confidentially stayed in touch with the financier, for example exchanging a note: "Keep in close touch and we'll meet again soon!"

There had been growing annoyance in the royal household at the scandals that continued to surround the figure.

Next week a posthumous memoir by Giuffre will be released which is expected to bring additional focus on the royal's involvement with the plaintiff and Epstein.