King Charles Embroiled In Prince Andrew's 'Chinese Spy' Scandal

A bombshell court document has revealed that King Charles was personally briefed about an investment fund involving alleged Chinese agent Yang Tengbo, who was banned from Britain on national security grounds. According to a report, statement made by Prince Andrew's senior aide Dominic Hampshire, there were two meetings between King Charles, the Duke, and himself between December 2023 and May last year. During these meetings, they 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.

According to reports, the revelation stems from newly released court documents, specifically a witness statement provided by Dominic Hampshire, a senior aide to Prince Andrew, in support of Yang Tengbo, a Chinese businessman barred from the UK on national security grounds. The statement has thrown a spotlight on the delicate interplay between royal connections, business ventures, and national security concerns. The core of the issue revolves around the "Eurasia Fund," an investment vehicle intended to channel Chinese funds into renewable energy projects in Africa. 

Yang Tengbo, also known as "Chris," was reportedly deeply involved in this initiative. The crux of the matter is not that King Charles was accused of any security concerns, but that he was briefed on the fund, and therefore, on Yang Tengbo, while concerns were raised about Yang.

The revelation has sparked widespread outrage and raised questions about the royal family's connections to Yang. Buckingham Palace has denied any wrongdoing, stating that the individual known as H6 was not mentioned during discussions about independent funding. However, sources have strongly indicated that the palace's understanding of events does not conform with Hampshire's account.

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What Eyewitness Revealed

Reportedly, the eyewitness statement from Dominic Hampshire detailed two meetings held between Prince Andrew, Hampshire, and King Charles from December 2023 to May of the following year. These discussions centred on how Prince Andrew could proceed with his business endeavours following the severe reputational damage inflicted by his association with the convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. The "Eurasia Fund" was a focal point in these conversations, underlining the prince's attempts to forge new financial avenues. The documents also revealed that although these meetings with the king occurred last year, Hampshire was already aware of security service concerns regarding Yang Tengbo as early as December 2021. 

Hampshire's statement recounted a meeting with Sir Edward Young, the late Queen's private secretary, during which he was informed of the security concerns. Hampshire's response, "We're doing quite a lot of work with Chris. What do you expect me to do with this information?" reveals the difficult position he was placed in. 

He further stated, "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 Young confirmed that there was no “plan B”. Hampshire then made it clear that without direct and specific information regarding the danger that Yang posed, he would continue his work. He also stated that he sought advice from the then Lord Chamberlain, Lord Parker, the former director general of MI5, but that Lord Parker dismissed him. 

Five months later, Hampshire was contacted by the intelligence services, where concerns about Yang's "level of influence" and his influence on the Duke of York were raised, as well as questions about the Eurasia Fund. When Hampshire asked if he was to stop contact, he was told that they could not ask him to, but that they had genuine concerns.

Adding another layer of complexity, Hampshire's statement disclosed that Prince Andrew continues to send a birthday letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping annually, a practice he claims was "encouraged" by Buckingham Palace. Further documents revealed that Hampshire had expressed gratitude to Yang for his support of Andrew following his disastrous 2019 Newsnight interview. Yang was also a guest at Andrew's 60th birthday celebration and played a key role in launching the prince's Pitch@Palace initiative in China.

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Yang Was Banned From The UK In 2023

In February 2023, Yang was prevented from boarding a flight from Beijing to London and subsequently banned from the UK, based on suspicions that he was an agent of the Chinese state. This decision was later confirmed by then Home Secretary Suella Braverman. Yang Tengbo, however, maintains that the allegations against him are "entirely unfounded."

Buckingham Palace, in its response, stated, "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 acknowledged King Charles's concerns about his brother's lifestyle and financial arrangements, particularly regarding his residence at Royal Lodge. The Palace has clarified that while the Duke may have briefly mentioned the "Eurasia Fund" in his meetings with the King, it was not discussed in detail, and neither the King nor his advisers gave approval for the business relationship. The Palace also stated that they will not comment on the statements of witnesses, but that the statements that have been made, do not align with their understanding of events.

The Palace has also indicated that the meeting with Sir Edward Young, and the dismissal from Lord Parker, were based on the need to maintain security, and that it would have been inappropriate to share security concerns. Hampshire has also released a statement, saying that he only wished to protect the confidentiality of the Royal family, and that once Andrew was told to cease contact with Yang, he did so. He also stated that Andrew did not receive any funding from any Chinese sources.