The next scandal Prince Andrew's "confidant" is considered a suspected spy
Since his time as a commercial ambassador, the brother of King Charles is said to have maintained close ties with China. One of these is now particularly in the spotlight.
13.12.2024, 22:13
13.12.2024, 22:19
dpa
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- A confidant of Prince Andrew is said to be a Chinese spy.
- The new scandal surrounding the brother of King Charles III was front-page news in many British media on Friday.
- According to the report, the businessman allegedly spying for China was so close to Andrew that he was invited to the prince's birthday party, among other things.
A confidant of Prince Andrew is not allowed to enter Great Britain because he is considered a Chinese spy. A court in London confirmed a government decision from 2023.
The brother of King Charles III had appointed the businessman as his advisor and promised him connections to the royal family, as reported by the Times newspaper. The alleged spy had been invited to the 64-year-old's birthday party at Windsor Castle in 2020 and authorized to look for investors in China on Andrew's behalf.
In a statement from his office, Andrew emphasized that he had ceased all contact with the man on the advice of the British government when doubts were raised. According to the British media, he had never discussed sensitive issues with him beforehand either.
"Extremely embarrassing case"
Security politician Tom Tugendhat from the Conservative Party called the case "extremely embarrassing" on the BBC. Buckingham Palace declined to comment, pointing out that Andrew was not a "working royal" and was not acting on behalf of the royal family.
"H6", as the man is known, had lodged an appeal against the entry ban. This has now been rejected by an appeal committee. The Chinese Foreign Ministry rejected the allegations. The People's Republic firmly rejects the use of "espionage" to denigrate China, it said. Beijing called on the "affected side" to cease political maneuvers against China.
Andrew is the black sheep of the royals
Andrew still has close ties to China from his time as the British government's trade envoy from 2001 to 2011. He is considered the black sheep of the royals due to his involvement in the abuse scandal surrounding US entrepreneur Jeffrey Epstein and rarely appears in public.
The alleged spy had "gained a considerable, one might even say unusual, degree of trust from a senior member of the royal family who was prepared to engage in business activities with him", Judge Charles Bourne emphasized in his ruling. The Duke of York had been under severe pressure because of his difficult private situation. "It is obvious that the pressure on the Duke could make him vulnerable to abuse of this kind of influence."
