Prince Andrew was viewed as a “valuable communication channel” by China, newly released court documents have claimed.
The revelations emerged from papers made public on Friday, which were reviewed by The Sunday Times.
The documents detail connections between the Duke of York, 64, and alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo, 50.
A senior aide to Prince Andrew faced questioning by MI5 regarding their “clandestine” relationship with Yang, the papers reveal.
Prince Andrew was viewed as a “valuable communication channel” by China, according to newly released court documents
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The initial meeting between Prince Andrew and Yang took place in 2013 at a reception during the Shanghai Grand Prix hosted by the former head of McLaren.
Yang, who is now 50 years old, subsequently developed a “clandestine” relationship with the Duke of York, according to the court papers, prompting MI5’s involvement and questioning of a senior royal aide.
Following their initial meeting, Yang became a confidant to Prince Andrew and played a role in some of his business ventures.
Yang assisted in launching the Duke’s Pitch@Palace business initiative in China, expanding the programme’s reach into the Asian market.
The court documents were released by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) on Friday.
The publication followed Yang’s unsuccessful attempt to overturn his ban from entering Britain.
Andrew’s link to the alleged Chinese resulted in the Duke of York cancelling his plans to spend Christmas at Sandringham with the Royal Family.
He instead remained at Royal Lodge with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.
Andrew’s link to the alleged Chinese resulted in the Duke of York cancelling his plans to spend Christmas at Sandringham with the Royal Family
PA
Yang Tengbo, the alleged spy, has denied claims of espionage, adding that they are “entirely untrue”.
In a rare statement, the Duke of York said he had “ceased all contact” with Yang following the Government’s advice.
Christmas was a bleak occasion for Andrew, who celebrated the occasion away from the public eye, King Charles, and his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
