Buckingham Palace releases urgent statement concerning Prince Andrew | HELLO! (2025)

Buckingham Palace has released a statement concerning Prince Andrew's links to the alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo, as a former senior aide to the Duke of York provided evidence to an employment tribunal.

As part of his written submission, Dominic Hampshire indicated that King Charles was aware of an investment fund that Yang was a part of. The evidence said that on two occasions, Dominic and Andrew held meetings with the King to discuss the Eurasia Fund.

The evidence read: "I have had two meetings with the Duke and His Majesty to discuss what the Duke can do moving forwards in a way that is acceptable to His Majesty.

"It is also of note that, amongst other topics, the Eurasia Fund and Aidan Heavey were discussed on both occasions with His Majesty. (For both these meetings with His Majesty, despite less media interest in the Duke, we took all precautions to get in and out of Windsor Castle without being seen)."

Following the publication of the statements, Buckingham Palace released a statement saying: "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."

HELLO!understands that while Andrew may have mentioned the Eurasia Fund while meeting with the King, the fund wasn't discussed in detail and neither the monarch or his advisers gave their approval.

Andrew's links to alleged spy

The Duke of York hit the headlines in December 2024 when it emerged that Yang Tengbo, then only known as H6, had been barred from entering the United Kingdom on national security grounds.

The Home Office had made the decision in March 2023, citing alleged ties between the businessman and the Chinese Communist Party.

Andrew was known to be close to Yang, with Dominic describing the businessman as sitting "at the very top of a tree" in terms of trust. Yang was even present at a birthday party held for the royal in 2020.

Mr Yang, who has denied being involved in espionage, was a founder-partner of the Chinese arm of Andrew's Pitch@Palace initiative and visited several royal residences at the invitation of the Duke.

The royal's office said the Duke had "ceased all contact" with the businessman when concerns were first raised about him.