The ringing of bells to mark the Duke of York's birthday this month is to go ahead as planned, Westminster Abbey has said.

The Duke, who has been embroiled in a scandal over his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, turns 60 on February 19. 

It is tradition for Westminster Abbey's bells to ring for members of the royal family. 

A spokeswoman for the abbey told the Press Association that the bellringing would be going ahead as usual. 

"Westminster Abbey is a Royal Peculiar and the bells are rung for the birthdays of HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh; their children; and TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children," she said. 

"There are no plans to change these arrangements."

Prince Andrew stepped down from royal duties following a disastrous interview on BBC's Newsnight over the Epstein scandal. 

On Thursday, he asked to defer a military promotion to Admiral due on his birthday. 

"By convention, the Duke of York would be in line for military promotion on his 60th birthday," a spokeswoman for Buckingham Palace said.

"Following the decision by His Royal Highness to step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, the Duke of York has asked the Ministry of Defence if this promotion might be deferred until such time that His Royal Highness returns to public duty."

Local authorities have raised strong objections to an order to fly the Union flag on the Duke's birthday. 

The Government has since announced that they will no longer be required to do so.

A Government spokesman said according to the Evening Standard: "The Department of Culture, Media and Sport will be advising councils that there is no requirement to fly flags on February 19 following the decision by the Duke of York to step back from public duties for the foreseeable future."