Andrew’s Chinese ‘spy’ scandal threatens to bring down Royal Family - it’s more damaging than Epstein, says biographer

PRINCE Andrew’s Chinese “spy” scandal threatens to collapse the royal family and is more damaging than his links to Epstein, a biographer says.

A suspected Chinese spy who was Andrew’s “close confidante” was exposed for the first time last week.

Andrew’s Chinese ‘spy’ friend threatens to bring down the royal family, says biographer Credit: Getty

A suspected Chinese spy who was Andrew’s ‘close confidant’ has been exposed

The scandal is more damaging than the prince’s ties to Epstein, says Andrew Lownie Credit: Jae Donnelly

Yang Tengbo was even invited to Andrew’s birthday party in 2020 and supported him in his recent scandals.

Andrew will not be joining the royal family at Sandringham for Christmas due to the fallout from the scandal.

Prince biographer Andrew Lownie told The Sun’s Royal Exclusive: “It’s probably Andrew’s most damaging scandal.

“It’s more damaging than Epstein. I think the story will stretch through the next year.

“He has always been much more sensitive to financial scandals in his life than to sexual ones.

“These stories have not really been investigated. This will have to lead to greater transparency of the royal finances.

“This has set in motion a whole series of events that I think will be very damaging to the monarchy.

“This will give new impetus to the press to investigate his financial affairs and how he affords his life at the Royal Lodge.

“A lot of things have yet to be released to the public. Much has already come to light in the past week about his activities.

“That’s the tip of the iceberg. He was extorting money from people in the Middle East and Central Asia.

“When these stories come out, I think he will be completely healthy.

“The danger is that they will take the royal family with them.”

The Sun has exclusively revealed that insiders have urged Andrew to “not invite himself” from today’s pre-celebration royal lunch.

He was due to attend a palace lunch but a source said: “He is under pressure to step down.”

It comes just days after the Duke of York said he would not be joining the royal family at Sandringham for the usual celebrations on Christmas Day.

His ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, is understood to have also pulled out of the Norfolk ceremony.

Rumor has it that the couple will be staying at the Royal Lodge in Windsor during that time.

‘ENOUGH IS ENOUGH’

Both Andrew and Fergie’s daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, have already decided to spend Christmas with their in-laws.

It comes after a suspected Chinese spy who was friends with Andrew was exposed for the first time.

The insider said it was difficult to see the Duke “ever again in public with the royal family”.

They said: “It’s hard for me to imagine him ever joining them in public again, to be honest.

“There are only so many times a duke can be asked to bow his head and wait out the storm. Enough is enough.”

Yang Tengbo, 50 – who is understood to have been a “close confidante” of the Duke of York – can be named after a court ban on anonymity was lifted this afternoon.

During the court hearing, judges concluded that Yang had not been honest about his ties to the Chinese state and could have exploited his relationship with the duke and other public figures.

The former president of the Hampton Group was in the country for two decades.

The photos show him posing with former prime ministers David Cameron and Theresa May, as well as the royal family.

He was even invited to Andrew’s birthday in 2020 and supported him in his recent scandals.

But the suspected spy later lost an appeal against a decision to bar him from entering the UK on national security grounds.

Anti-terrorist services stopped him in 2021 and ordered him to hand over his devices.

Court documents say Yang spent his time between China and the UK and told officials he considered the country his second home.

He was “kicked” off a flight from Beijing to London in February last year and told the Home Secretary he was in the process of looking into the case to ban him from the UK.

That order was issued the following month, and his appeal of the decision was dismissed last week by a special immigration appeals court.

The judges concluded that Yang had not been honest about his ties to the Chinese state and could have taken advantage of his relationship with the duke and other public figures.

Guy Vassall-Adams KC, for Yang, told the High Court: “There has been an enormous amount of media reporting in relation to this story, and in particular in relation to the relationship between my client, H6, and Prince Andrew, as well as an enormous amount of speculation as to the identity my client.”

Yang said he “didn’t do anything wrong or illegal,” adding in a statement that “the widespread description of me as a ‘spy’ is completely untrue.”

It comes after the Sun reported last week that a foreign agent knew how to sneak people in and out of the prince’s Royal Lodge home.

The shocking revelation came in a letter from one of the king’s chief advisers, Dominic Hampshire, to a spy.

Mr Hampshire continued to work for Andrew even after MI5 found a message on the spy’s phone in 2020.

It read: “I hope you are clear where you sit with my principal (Andrew) and his family.

“You should never underestimate the power of that relationship.

“You are sitting at the very top of the tree that many people would like to be at.”

It added: “Under your guidance, we have found a way to get the relevant people in and out of the Windsor house seamlessly.”

Mr Hampshire also confirmed that the man could act for Andrew in negotiations with Chinese investors.

The message was sent 10 months after the Duke stepped down from public life after paying compensation to Virginia Roberts-Giuffre, the victim of his American pediatrician friend Jeffrey Epstein.

A source told The Sun: “Dom was still working for the Duke until at least April this year.

“It’s hard to believe, given that Andrew must have known for years that his Chinese connections had become a matter of national security.”

A statement from the duke’s office on Friday said “nothing of a sensitive nature [was] ever discussed”.

The statement added: “The Duke of York followed HMG’s advice and ceased all contact with the individual after concerns were raised.

“The Duke met the individual through official channels, without discussing anything sensitive.

“He cannot comment further on matters relating to national security.”

Writing in the Sun, royal expert Phil Dampier said: “By allowing a Chinese spy into royal residences such as Windsor and Buckingham Palace, he has compromised the security of the entire royal family and the institution of the monarchy.”