Andrew drags Charles into scandal over Chinese ‘spy’

The King secretly met the Duke of York to discuss his future, including plans for a Chinese investment scheme run by an alleged Beijing spy, a new document claims.

A senior aide to Prince Andrew says he and King Charles both attended two meetings organised by Charles at Windsor Castle.

The King secretly met the Duke of York to discuss his future, including plans for a Chinese investment scheme run by an alleged Beijing spy, according to a document made public on Friday.

A senior aide to Andrew said they both attended two clandestine meetings organised by Charles at Windsor Castle after the duke was ordered to cease being a working royal.

Dominic Hampshire provided a witness statement to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) in the case of Yang Tengbo, who was excluded from the UK in February 2023 on national security grounds. Hampshire said “it was clear ... the Duke’s reputation was irrecoverable” after the 2019 Newsnight interview in which he was questioned about claims by Virginia Giuffre she was coerced into having sex with him aged 17. The former British Army captain and intelligence officer added: “It was very clear within the royal household that we would have to look at options for the Duke’s future away from royal duties.”

Prince Andrew with alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo.

In a statement written last May the aide explained that, over the previous six months, “I have had two meetings with the duke and His Majesty to discuss what the duke can do moving forwards in a way that is acceptable to His Majesty”, adding: “For both these meetings with His Majesty, despite less media interest in the duke, we took all precautions to get in and out of Windsor Castle without being seen.”

The revelations come after SIAC approved an application by publications including The Times for a secrecy order on Hampshire’s statement and other documents to be lifted.

Hampshire said the Eurasia Fund set up by Yang was discussed on both occasions. The fund was to raise $US3 billion of international financing. He added: “I would never allow the duke to be put in any situation which may damage him, let alone my country or His Majesty.”

He said Andrew was in regular communication with the Chinese president as part of his support for the Pitch@Palace entrepreneur scheme but the letters “did progressively talk about the Eurasia Fund as time went on”. He said the royal household, including Queen Elizabeth, were “fully aware of the communication”.

Britain's Prince Andrew. Picture: AFP

Hampshire said he was unaware of concern about Yang until a meeting with Sir Edward Young, the late Queen’s private secretary, in December 2021. Five months later he was called to a meeting at MI5 along with Andrew’s assistant private secretary, Morag Love. An MI5 officer showed them a page from the Eurasia Fund website and said: “Here is an example of why we are concerned.” She then said: “We have genuine concerns about [Yang] and his influence on the Duke of York.”

Hampshire admits he was being paid by Yang’s London-based consultancy for advice about a golf project while he was Andrew’s adviser. The Times revealed in December that Yang was appointed Andrew’s representative in Beijing. Hampshire, 56, was a conduit between Andrew, 65, and Yang as they discussed setting up a pounds 2.6 billion investment fund and think tank that would promote closer ties with China.

Yang Tengbo, pictured at a 2019 Pitch@Palace 3.0 event, in China. Source: YouTube

The aide told Yang in March 2021 he could act on behalf of the duke in engagements with potential partners in China. The King’s meetings to establish Andrew’s financial security were held before the decision was made to cut his private funding last September.

Yang, 50, has said the allegations are “entirely unfounded”.

A Palace spokesman said: “While His Majesty met with the duke and his adviser to hear outline proposals for independent funding over the past year, the individual known as H6 [Yang] was not mentioned at any time or in any way as part of these discussions.”

The Palace did not deny the monarch may have heard of the existence of the Eurasia Fund. It is conceded the duke may have briefly mentioned he was pursuing business opportunities with an entity called the Eurasia Fund, in common with many other organisations and individuals and among a number of other proposals. However, it is understood the fund was not discussed in any level of detail, nor did the King or his advisers give approval to the business relationship or opportunity.

The Times