King Charles was today dragged into the Chinese spy scandal engulfing Prince Andrew after new court documents claimed he was personally briefed about an investment fund involving the alleged agent.
A witness statement made by Andrew’s senior aide Dominic Hampshire in support of Yang Tengbo – who was banned from Britain on national security grounds – said there were two meetings with Charles between December 2023 and May last year.
Mr Hampshire, the duke and the King discussed ‘what the Duke can do moving forwards in a way that is acceptable to His Majesty’ after his business opportunities dried up following disclosures about his relationship with billionaire American paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Part of their discussions centred around an investment vehicle called the ‘Eurasia Fund’, in which Yang was directly involved.
The fund was intended to use Chinese investment in renewable energy projects in Africa but never got off the ground. There is no suggestion the King was aware of any security concerns relating to Yang.
Mr Hampshire penned his witness statement in support of Yang in May last year after the Chinese businessman appealed to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission over the decision to bar him from Britain amid claims he was spying for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
He fought to keep the document private but it was released yesterday [Fri] following an application by various media organisations, including the Daily Mail.
It detailed that, despite discussing business opportunities involving Yang – who went by the anglicised name ‘Chris’ – with the King as recently as last year, Mr Hampshire had been made aware that there were concerns around the businessman as early as December 2021.
The former Army captain and equerry to the Duke of Kent, described how he was called in to see Sir Edward Young, the late Queen’s private secretary, that month.
When Sir Edward said that concerns had been raised by the security services, Hampshire is said to have replied: ‘We’re doing quite a lot of work with Chris [Yang]. What do you expect me to do with this information?’
In his statement, he described the rest of the conversation. ‘I said, words to the effect, that “Chris is pretty much our only avenue for The Duke moving forward and arguably the only light at the end of the tunnel for him. Do you have a plan B?”.
‘Sir Edward said that he did not. I said that I could not accept this unless someone spoke to me directly and explained why. I did make it very clear to Sir Edward that if I was told something that genuinely may adversely affect The Duke (or my country) in any way whatsoever, I would of course cease all communication.’
He said he also sought advice from the Lord Chamberlain, then Lord Parker, former director general of MI5, but was rebuffed.
‘The Lord Chamberlain wouldn’t give me any advice and pretty much dismissed me,’ he said in his statement.
He said it was five months before he was contacted by the intelligence services for a meeting where he was told there ‘was concern about Chris, and that he has a level of influence’. He was also asked about the Eurasia Fund and Yang’s ‘influence’ on the Duke of York.
He wrote: ‘In conclusion, I said “are you asking me to stop?” She said, “no, I can’t ask you to stop. But we have genuine concerns about Chris and his influence on The Duke of York.” That was the end of it, and I have not heard anything since.’
Mr Hampshire’s statement also revealed that Prince Andrew continues to send a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping on his birthday every year. He claimed this was ‘encouraged’ by Buckingham Palace.
Documents previously released in the case show Mr Hampshire had thanked Yang for standing by Andrew following his 2019 Newsnight interview over his relationship with late billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Yang was also invited to Andrew’s 60th birthday party and was integral in launching the duke’s Dragons Den-style investment roadshow, Pitch@Palace, in China.
In February 2023, Yang was ‘off-boarded’ from a flight from Beijing to London and told he would be banned from the UK because of suspicions that he was an agent for the Chinese state. That decision was confirmed the following month by then Home Secretary Suella Braverman.
In a statement released on Friday as his witness statement in support of Yang was made public, Mr Hampshire said: ‘The desire to keep my witness statement out of the media was solely to protect the confidential interactions I had with Buckingham Palace and the intelligence services.
‘At all times I sought to protect the best interests of the Royal Family with integrity and loyalty.
‘For the record, as soon as The Duke of York was advised to cease all contact with Mr Yang, he fully complied. He did not receive a penny in funding or support, directly or indirectly, from any Chinese individual or entity.
‘I am now a private businessman and none of my business interests are connected to any member of the Royal Family.’
Yang Tengbo says claims he is a spy are ‘entirely unfounded’.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said tonight: ‘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 was not mentioned at any time or in any way as part of these discussions.’
Royal aides have long made clear the King’s concern about his brother’s lifestyle and the issue of how he is funding his living his arrangements at 30-room Royal Lodge at Windsor has long been a bone of contention between them.
The Mail understands that in his meetings with The King, The Duke may have briefly mentioned that he was pursuing business opportunities with an entity called the ‘Eurasia Fund’.
However this fund was not discussed in any level of detail, nor did His Majesty or his advisers give approval to this business relationship or opportunity, it is claimed.
It is also believed to have been discussed in common with many other organisations and individuals, and among a number of other proposals.
Buckingham Palace has made clear it will not get drawn into commenting on individual assertions made in any witness testimony, however sources have strongly indicated it does not conform with their understanding and record of events.
There was a strong sense of frustration tonight behind palace walls over Hampshire’s account, however.
While there was no denial that the businessman met with the late Queen’s Private Secretary, Sir Edward Young, it was understood to have been made clear to him that it would been completely inappropriate to share confidential security information.
Similarly when Hampshire says he was ‘dismissed’ by the Lord Chamberlain, Lord Parker, it was because, even as a former head of the intelligence services, it would also have been a ‘clear breach of his position’ to even have such a discussion with someone who wasn’t even Andrew’s private secretary but merely a business advisor.