Prince Andrew ‘asked China for £2.4BILLION with help from spy & had secret meetings about using royal status for money’
PRINCE Andrew allegedly asked China for $3billion (£2.4b) and had secret meetings about using his royal status for money.
It comes after the Duke of York’s relationship with alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengo – who helped broker deals – was ruled a “threat to national security”.
The royal cultivated Chinese officials, including seeking advice from a communist minister and having covert meetings with the country’s ambassador, according to documents released on Friday, reports the Times.
It has further raised concerns that Andrew, 64, was willing to use his royal status for his own private benefit regardless of the risk of compromising Britain’s security interests.
Documents retrieved from Yang’s phone show the duke wanted to speak to a senior Chinese minister while planning to launch an international think tank.
The plans were leaked to Jiang Jianguo, a minister of China’s State Council Information Office, in 2019.
Andrew also hoped to leverage the Firm’s reputation to raise $3billion (£2.4bn) of international financing for a pot to “break unproductive technological and talent blockades against China”, the papers revealed.
Alistair Michie, secretary-general of the British East Asia Council, told Jianguo that Andrew wanted to organise a conference for world leaders in China.
“I know that HRH the Duke of York will value your private thinking. In turn, that will help him formulate his plans and so enable a consensus to be reached,” he wrote.
“When I am in London I can privately and informally get the view of HRH the Duke of York.”
It is suggested this is among materials that led a Home Office security assessment to conclude Andrew’s relationship with Yang represented a threat to UK national security.
The review said the suspected spy failed to disclose to Andrew and other royals his ties to the Chinese government’s United Front Work Department.
Andrew had hoped to raise $3billion of international financing for his Eurasia Fund, with Chinese investors expected to contribute $2billion.
He had completed talks with the leaders of Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, who were planning to contribute $500 million each, it claimed.
Yang was appointed by the duke to head up the Chinese arm of his Pitch@Palace entrepreneurs’ scheme.
Details of his number plates were also noted by security at Andrew’s Royal Lodge, meaning he could forgo normal checks.
EPSTEIN SCANDAL
Andrew was forced to step back from royal duties following a disastrous interview on BBC’s Newsnight in November 2019 in which he refused to condemn his relationship with paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.
During the car crash chat he also claimed he had severed ties with Epstein in December 2010 but emails came to light this week showing they were still talking two months later.
He said he didn’t see or speak to Epstein after they were pictured strolling through Central Park in New York City shortly after the paedo was released from jail for child sex offences.
But emails disclosed in a filing by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) reveal he spoke to Epstein in February 2011.
In an email, he told Epstein: “Keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon!!!!”
The emails have been exposed as the FCA defends an appeal by former Barclays Bank boss James Edward “Jes” Staley.
Andrew paid millions to Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre in an out-of-court settlement three years ago, while denying sexual assault accusations.
Andrew could face an FBI probe after the man set to be the bureau’s new boss vowed to “do everything” to expose those who worked with Epstein.
Donald Trump’s pick for FBI head, Kash Patel, has Andrew in his sights after telling a Senate hearing he is ready to investigate anyone connected to convicted paedophile Epstein, who died in 2019.
Mr Patel vowed: “Child sex trafficking has no place in the US. I will do everything to make sure the American public knows the full weight of what happened.”
The duke was also hit by a string of fresh humiliations yesterday as his portrait was stripped from a historic pub.
Andrew faces last orders at The Duke of York pub in Fitzrovia, central London, where signs with his portrait were pulled down.