Britain’s Prince Andrew is facing intense media scrutiny after revelations that a close Chinese business associate of the scandal-ridden younger brother of King Charles was considered a Chinese spy by the British government.
In a court ruling on Thursday, it was revealed that the businessman, known as H6, was banned from Britain on national security grounds after authorities suspected he was planning to make close contacts with prominent British figures. Was secretly working for Beijing.
Late on Friday, Andrew, Duke of York, issued a statement to the BBC and other media in which he said he had “ceased all contact” with the man, described in court documents as a “close confidant”. As described in, concerns grew once raised.
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“The Duke met the individual through official channels, but nothing of a sensitive nature was discussed,” the statement said.
However, questions about the case have dominated British front pages and news broadcasts.
The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported that British intelligence agency MI5 was investigating Chinese money given to Andrew, while The Times said the prince had invited the businessman to the royal properties Buckingham Palace, St. James’s Palace and Windsor Castle.
The Mirror reported that King Charles had been briefed by MI5 and was “really frustrated” by the situation. A royal source told Reuters that Buckingham Palace was informed about the situation in the appropriate ways and at the appropriate time.
While British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has tried to soften relations with China since taking office in July, London and Beijing have repeatedly accused London and Beijing of spying, with British security services targeting political, business and academic sectors. Warned of Chinese attempts to intrude.
The Chinese Embassy in London described the H6 case as another attempt to defame China and damage normal working relations.
The case also throws light on the financial condition of the 64-year-old prince.
Andrew was a courageous naval officer who served in the army during the Falklands War with Argentina in the early 1980s, but has now become a royal pariah due to his friendship with the late American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Before stepping down from all royal duties in 2019, he was forced to step down from the role of UK trade ambassador in 2011 and was then stripped of his military links and royal patronage in 2022 amid sexual misconduct allegations, which he denied. Always denied.
British media have reported that Charles had cut off his allowance and wanted to kick the duke out of his Royal Lodge home at the Windsor estate.
The court document regarding H6, which was authorized to act for Andrew to seek investors in China, referred to a 2021 document listing talking points for a call between him and the prince in which She wrote that the Duke “was in a desperate situation and would grab hold of anything”.
