U.K. Judiciary Discloses fresh Evidence Concerning Prince Andrew's Alleged Connection to a Chinese Spy
A Glimpse into Prince Andrew's Suspected Connection with Chinese Spy, Yang Tengbo
In a recent court document disclosed last Friday, it appears that Prince Andrew's association with Yang Tengbo, a Chinese businessman allegedly involved in espionage, is more intricate than previously alleged. One of Prince Andrew's former confidants, Dominique Hampshire, testified to details of his communication line with China's President Xi Jinping.
The 10-page statement from Hampshire, penned in May 2024, was part of a batch of documents made public following multiple British media organizations' requests about Prince Andrew's relationship with Yang Tengbo. These documents were central to Yang's appeal against his exclusion from the UK, denied in December of the same year.
Yang, who is also known as Chris, reportedly forged a close connection with the prince. He is the co-founder of Pitch@Palace China, an extension of Prince Andrew's Pitch@Palace initiative into the Chinese market.
During a tribunal hearing in December that confirmed the initial decision to bar Yang from the UK, it was revealed that Yang was authorized to represent Prince Andrew during business meetings with potential Chinese investors in the UK. The former Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, informed parliament that the reason Yang was banned from the UK was due to the threat his presence posed to national security, a decision based on MI5's advice.
Hampshire's testimony revealed that Yang aided Prince Andrew in drafting letters to Xi Jinping concerning the Eurasia Fund. According to Hampshire, the royal household, including the late queen, were aware of this communication, which was deemed useful for its open line to China.
Hampshire and Prince Andrew discussed prospective alternatives for the duke's future post royal duties over several meetings with King Charles, including discussions regarding the Eurasia Fund. Buckingham Palace clarified that King Charles and Prince Andrew had discussed independent funding plans over the past year, but Yang was never mentioned in these discussions.
The connection between the prince and Yang developed shortly after Prince Andrew's controversial 2019 BBC interview concerning his relationship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Hampshire stated that this interview had diminished the royal household's confidence in the duke's reputation.
Despite Hampshire's assertions that Yang had no direct line of communication to the duke, he emphasized that Yang did not have Prince Andrew's personal contact details and their relationship paralleled that of numerous others. Hampshire also stated that Prince Andrew had ended all contact with Yang upon receiving advice to do so.
Hampshire parted ways with the royal household in 2022 and is no longer offering advice to Prince Andrew. It is worth noting that the timeline and impact of the association between Prince Andrew and Yang Tengbo have raised national security concerns, particularly the potential for Chinese influence via the royal family.
- The close connection between Prince Andrew and Chinese businessman, Yang Tengbo, who is the co-founder of Pitch@Palace China, was forged after the 2019 BBC interview involving the royal family.
- Documents made public in 2024 revealed that Yang was authorized to represent Prince Andrew during business meetings with potential Chinese investors in the UK, raising national security concerns.
- In his 10-page statement from May 2024, Dominique Hampshire, one of Prince Andrew's former confidants, mentioned that Yang aided Prince Andrew in drafting letters to China's President Xi Jinping, indicating a significant involvement in UK-China relations.
