Prince Andrew gives up his title as Duke of York.
Prince Andrew is relinquishing his honors, including the the Duke, he has declared in a personal statement.
He has been under growing pressure over his associations with disgraced financier the financier, with demands for the royal household to take measures against him.
That now appears to have caused the figure deciding to voluntarily hand back his designations and to give up participation of the Order of the Garter.
In his announcement he said he continued to "strongly refute the accusations against me".
"In consultation with the King, and my direct and wider family, we have agreed the persistent claims about me distract from the responsibilities of His Majesty and the Royal Family," said a message from Prince Andrew.
"I have decided, as I always have, to put my obligation to my kin and nation first.
"I stand by my choice five years ago to step back from public life.
"With His Majesty's consent, we believe I must now go a further step. I will therefore no longer hold my designation or the honours which have been bestowed on me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the allegations against me."
Prince Andrew has encountered a series of scandals, including a legal case he settled with an accuser, doubts about his economic affairs and his connection with an alleged foreign agent.
He will stay a member of royalty - but will stop to be the York's Duke, a designation granted from his parent, the late Queen Elizabeth.
The prince had already ceased to be a "participating figure" and had lost the use of his His Royal Highness designation and no longer appeared at official royal events. His status now will be even more lessened.
His former spouse will be known as Sarah and no longer Duchess of York, but their daughters will carry on to have the honor of princess.
Prince Andrew has faced severe examination over his links with convicted sex offender the financier, more in recent times featuring inquiries about when he had truly cut off communication.
In his BBC Newsnight interview, the royal had said that he had cut off all links with Epstein after they had been seen together in New York in December 2010.
But correspondence sent in the following year later emerged suggesting that Andrew had in private continued in communication with the financier, for example swapping a note: "Keep in close touch and we'll play some more soon!"
There had been increasing annoyance in the royal household at the scandals that continued to plague the figure.
Next week a book released after death by the accuser will be released which is likely to draw more scrutiny on Prince Andrew's involvement with Ms Giuffre and Jeffrey Epstein.
