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Prince Andrew is giving up his honors, including the the Duke, he has announced in a individual message.

He has been under mounting attention over his links with convicted criminal Jeffrey Epstein, with calls for the royal household to take measures against him.

That now appears to have caused the royal deciding to voluntarily return his titles and to give up involvement of the Order of the Garter.

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

"In talks with the monarch, and my immediate and broader family, we have concluded the continued allegations about me distract from the duties of His Majesty and the Royal Family," said a message from him.

"I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my kin and country first.

"I support my resolution five years ago to withdraw from official duties.

"With the King's approval, we think I must now go a further step. I will therefore no longer employ my honor or the awards which have been conferred upon me. As I have said before, I vigorously dispute the accusations against me."

He has been involved in a range of controversies, among them a court case he settled with Virginia Giuffre, inquiries about his finances and his connection with an suspected intelligence operative.

He will continue to be a royal - but will cease to be the the Duke, a honor bestowed from his parent, the late Queen Elizabeth.

He had already stopped to be a "participating figure" and had given up the use of his HRH title and no longer appeared at official royal events. His role now will be even more lessened.

His previous partner will be known as Sarah Ferguson and no longer Duchess of York, but their daughters will continue to have the title of royal princess.

He has encountered intense examination over his associations with convicted sex offender the financier, more in recent times involving questions about when he had really severed contact.

In his television appearance, Prince Andrew had said that he had ended all links with Jeffrey Epstein after they had been photographed together in NYC in the end of 2010.

But emails sent in February 2011 later surfaced indicating that the prince had in private continued in communication with Epstein, for example exchanging a note: "Remain connected and we'll play some more soon!"

There had been growing annoyance in the royal household at the issues that persisted to surround the royal.

Soon a book released after death by Giuffre will be issued which is expected to cast further scrutiny on the royal's involvement with Ms Giuffre and Jeffrey Epstein.