EXCLUSIVE While Prince Andrew wasn’t a spy for China himself, he was ’empowering ‘ one to carry out ‘nefarious work for an evil authoritarian Communist state’, an expert has said
The evidence backing up allegations that Chinese national Yang Tengbo was a spy is “devastating”, a leading international affairs expert has said – but it’s far worse for Prince Andrew.
Yang Tengbo has been named as the alleged Chinese spy and “close confidant” who cosied up to the King’s brother after an anonymity order was lifted. The businessman was barred from entering the UK last year, and waived his right of privacy “due to the high level of speculation and misreporting in the media”.
Yang Tengbo denies the allegations and said he has “done nothing wrong or unlawful”, adding the “widespread description of me as a ‘spy’ is entirely untrue”.
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Yet Professor Anthony Glees, Professor of Politics and the Director of the Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies at the University of Buckingham, said Yang Tengbo’s statement “isn’t worth the paper it’s written on”.
Speaking to the Daily Star, he said: “It’s been composed carefully by Chinese spooks but doesn’t answer any of the allegations that MI5 is making because that’s impossible. He’s condemned by the evidence found on his own smartphone.”
British authorities seized Yang Tengbo’s digital devices in 2021. Authorities say documents found on the devices suggested a link between Yang the United Front Work Department – the CCP’s intelligence unit – and other Beijing-linked groups, reports the BBC. Yang Tengbo also struck up relationships with politicians and former PM David Cameron.
Yet as damming as it looks for Yang Tengbo, it’s far worse for the disgraced royal, Professor Glees reasoned.
The expert said it was “gobsmacking” that the alleged spy was able to get so close to the prince, with the royal’s senior aide Dominic Hampshire telling Yang Tengbo that he was “at the top of the tree”.
He said: “There’s no doubt today that Prince Andrew has been a national security risk and that is deeply embarrassing to our new King.
“Andrew is 8th in line to the throne; he can’t be sacked from being the brother of the King. Yet he may in theory be in line for facing criminal charges.”
Professor Glees said Yang Tengbo would have aimed to have “gain influence” and find intelligence through his friendship with Prince Andrew.
The academic went on to say that while we know what Yang Tengbo got out of Prince Andrew, we don’t yet know what the prince got from the businessman, adding: “Although the implication is cash – selling access to himself and his family for cash.”
Glees drew parallels between this scandal and to Guenter Guillaume, the chief aide to German Chancellor Willy Brandt, who was a Stasi spy and whose unmasking ended Brandt’s chancellorship in the early 0s.
He added: “I don’t believe Andrew himself was a spy for China, of course not. But unbeknownst to himself he was empowering a spy for China to engage on his nefarious work for an evil authoritarian Communist state.”
Last week Yang Tengbo lost his appeal to return to the UK, which he describes as his “second home”, on the grounds of national security. Prince Andrew has said he has “ceased all contact” with Yang.
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