Prince Andrew.Photo:JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty
JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty
Prince Andrewis at the center of more controversy.
The Duke of York, 64, who isKing Charles' brother, reportedly had close business links with a Chinese national, who is alleged to be a spy, according to multiple reports.
The man, who has not been named, has been banned from the U.K. following a special immigration investigation. On Friday, Dec. 13, theBBCreported that he had lost an appeal against a March 2023 decision to ban him from the U.K. on national security grounds.
The British security services are said to have found the man was a member of the Chinese Communist Party and was working for its United Front Work Department, which gathers intelligence, according to the outlet.
The BBC reported that the man even received an invite to Andrew’s 60th birthday party in 2020 and was told he could act on his behalf to seek investors in China. According toThe Times, he was also invited into the royal estate at Windsor.
Per the BBC, in a letter found on one of the man’s electronic devices, one of Andrew’s advisers told the alleged spy, “Outside of [the prince’s] closest internal confidants, you sit at the very top of a tree that many, many people would like to be on.”
In a briefing document that was also reportedly found, the “main talking points” for a call the man was set to have with Andrew were listed. According to the BBC, the document read, “IMPORTANT: Manage expectations. Really important to not set ‘too high’ expectations — he is in a desperate situation and will grab onto anything.”
Buckingham Palace has not commented on the development.
Prince Andrew and his daughters Princesses Beatrice (left) and Eugenie.Dave Benett/Getty; Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty
Dave Benett/Getty; Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty
Andrew has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and announced his step back from royal duties a few days after the explosive interview aired. The royal said he continued to “unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein” in theofficial statementannouncing his decision.
The transition was made official when the lateQueen Elizabethstripped Andrew of his military titles and patronagesin January 2022 amid Giuffre’scivil sexual assault lawsuit. An out-of-court settlement for an undisclosed sumwas reachedthe following month.
Andrew has since been involved in a tug-of-war over whether or not he and his ex-wifeSarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, would be able to stay at Royal Lodge, a vast home on the Windsor estate.
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Andrew and Fergie, 65, along with their two daughtersPrincess BeatriceandPrincess Eugenieand their families, are expected at the annual royal family Christmas gathering at Sandringham, Norfolk, later this month.
source: people.com
