Prince Andrew has found himself embroiled in another scandal, this time with an alleged Chinese spy. Dominic Hampshire, a senior aide, wrote to the businessman Yang Tengbo in March 2020, praising him as someone who “sits at the very top of a tree that many, many people would like to be on.” This comes just four months after Andrew’s disastrous Newsnight interview and his mother’s decision to sack him.
Meanwhile, a rural Buckinghamshire pub where David Cameron took Xi Jinping for a pint in 2015 was bought by a Chinese firm called SinoFortune, which promised billions of UK investment that never materialised. The royal family seems to have hired Yang Tengbo as Andrew’s chief representative in China, despite the businessman denying he is a spy.
The question on everyone’s mind is why Andrew still holds such power within the royal family. His previous trade envoy job took him into the orbit of some of the world’s least appealing dictators and political operators. The royal family has been aware of these issues for decades but seems to be struggling to cut ties with Andrew.
The latest scandal raises questions about the state of British politics and its relationship with foreign money. Documents reveal that Chinese state operatives warned Prince Andrew was “desperate” – a sentiment echoed by critics who say the UK continues to act desperate in its dealings with foreign powers. The royal family’s desperation to keep Andrew on is exposed, and it is clear that the cost of this decision will be borne by the British people.
As Britain continues down a path of capitulation to foreign money, the implications for national security are worrying. The notion that Prince Andrew can still pose a risk to the state raises serious questions about the effectiveness of the royal family’s security measures. It is time for the royal family to take responsibility for their actions and consider the consequences of their choices.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/dec/17/prince-andrew-royals-duke-of-york-scandal