The Prince Andrew Chinese spy scandal has escalated, drawing King Charles III into the controversy after new revelations emerged during a UK immigration tribunal hearing on Friday. Testimony by Dominic Hampshire, a former senior adviser to Prince Andrew, revealed the Duke of York’s deep ties with Yang Tengbo—a suspected Chinese spy banned from the UK in 2023.
According to the testimony submitted to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission, Andrew maintained close relations with Yang, including meetings that allegedly involved King Charles and the sharing of birthday messages with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Prince Andrew’s Business Ties with Suspected Spy
Yang Tengbo, 50, became a key adviser to Prince Andrew and was authorized to act on his behalf while seeking Chinese investment for Andrew’s Eurasia Fund project. Dominic Hampshire stated that Yang was Andrew’s “only light at the end of the tunnel,” especially as the prince faced public disgrace over his past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Documents revealed as part of the tribunal show the extent of communication between Prince Andrew and Chinese officials, including the establishment of a direct line to President Xi, through which annual birthday greetings were exchanged.
Alleged Involvement of King Charles III
The scandal reached new heights as Hampshire confirmed that King Charles had been present at two meetings where Andrew’s business initiatives, including the Eurasia Fund, were discussed. “I have had two meetings with the Duke and His Majesty to discuss what the Duke can do moving forward in a way that is acceptable to His Majesty,” Hampshire’s statement reads.
These discussions also reportedly included a major Chinese investor, suggesting King Charles was, at minimum, informed of Andrew’s outreach to China.
Buckingham Palace Responds to Allegations
Buckingham Palace confirmed that King Charles did meet with Prince Andrew and his adviser to hear funding proposals but denied that Yang was ever involved in those meetings.
“While His Majesty met with the Duke and his adviser to hear outline proposals for independent funding over the past year, the individual [Yang] was not mentioned at any time or in any way as part of these discussions,” the Palace said in a statement released on Friday.
As scrutiny grows around the extent of Prince Andrew’s connections with Yang, and the degree to which the monarchy was aware, the scandal has sparked renewed debate over royal involvement in private ventures and national security.
