Buckingham Palace responds amid claims linking Duke of York to alleged Chinese agent
King Charles has been pulled into the escalating spy scandal surrounding Prince Andrew, prompting Buckingham Palace to issue an urgent statement clarifying the monarch’s involvement in recent private meetings.
The development comes just days after the King resumed public duties following cancer treatment, only to face renewed controversy involving his younger brother. The palace’s statement follows the release of a 10-page declaration from Dominic Hampshire, Prince Andrew’s former senior aide, which links the Duke to Yang Tengbo — a businessman accused of acting as an agent for the Chinese government.
In court-released documents, Hampshire revealed that Yang, who co-founded Pitch@Palace China, had advised Andrew on expanding his initiative and allegedly drafted letters to President Xi Jinping about the Eurasia Fund. The adviser claimed these communications were “open” and known to the royal household, including the late Queen Elizabeth.
Amid mounting scrutiny, Buckingham Palace responded directly:
"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 [Yang Tengbo] was not mentioned at any time or in any way as part of these discussions."
The clarification aims to distance the King from any involvement in the alleged discussions with the accused agent, as British media intensifies coverage of Andrew’s past dealings.
Yang has denied all wrongdoing, and while Prince Andrew is not currently facing charges, the scandal threatens to further damage his public standing. The Palace reiterated to Fox News Digital that it cannot speak on behalf of the Duke, as he is no longer a working royal.
As the investigation continues, the monarchy faces renewed pressure to draw a clearer line between the Crown and the disgraced Duke's lingering controversies.
