In newly disclosed court documents, a senior aide to Prince Andrew privately admitted that the duke’s infamous 2019 BBC Newsnight interview had been “ill-advised.” This remark was made in correspondence with Yang Tengbo, an alleged Chinese spy who was recently banned from the UK following intelligence assessments suggesting ties to the Chinese state. Yang has denied any wrongdoing.

Aide’s Support Acknowledged Post-Interview Fallout

The documents reveal that Dominic Hampshire, Prince Andrew’s senior aide, thanked Yang for his continued support following the fallout from the duke’s attempt to explain his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Newsnight interview, widely seen as a public relations disaster, led to Prince Andrew stepping down from royal duties.

In March 2020, Hampshire wrote to Yang expressing gratitude for standing by the duke amid a turbulent time. “We have dealt with the aftermath of a hugely ill-advised and unsuccessful television interview,” the letter stated. Hampshire praised Yang’s efforts in “salvaging and enhancing” the prince’s reputation in China and highlighted Yang’s role in organizing messages of support during events like a Chinese New Year dinner.

Yang’s Links to Pitch@Palace Events

Yang Tengbo met Prince Andrew in 2014 and later became involved with the Chinese version of the duke’s “Pitch@Palace” initiative, which helps entrepreneurs connect with investors. Court documents also revealed that Yang was trusted enough to be invited to the prince’s private 60th birthday dinner, which Hampshire described as a rare honor.

However, Yang’s alleged activities led to him being barred from the UK in 2023 by then-Home Secretary Suella Braverman. Authorities suspect Yang may have been involved in an “elite capture” operation—a tactic used by the Chinese state to influence high-ranking individuals in politics and business.

Yang, who once belonged to the Chinese Communist Party, insisted his relationship with the duke had been transparent and aimed only at improving UK-China relations. “The allegations against me are entirely unfounded,” Yang said, calling his ban a result of inconsistent UK-China relations and a “media circus.”

Epstein Ties Resurface

Further complicating matters for Prince Andrew, court documents from an unrelated case revealed emails suggesting he remained in contact with Epstein longer than previously acknowledged. In 2019, Prince Andrew claimed he hadn’t spoken to Epstein since December 2010. However, the newly disclosed emails show a friendly exchange in February 2011, with Epstein offering to facilitate a meeting between the prince and banker Jes Staley.

Prince Andrew’s connections with Epstein have been a point of public scrutiny for years. Epstein, convicted in 2008 for procuring a minor for prostitution, was arrested again in 2019 for sex trafficking of minors before his death in prison. The prince’s Newsnight interview included denials of assaulting Virginia Giuffre, who had accused him of sexual abuse—a claim the prince has consistently denied.

Fallout Continues

These latest revelations add to Prince Andrew’s ongoing challenges. Once a working royal, he now lives a life largely outside the public eye, with King Charles reportedly cutting off his financial support and pressuring him to vacate Royal Lodge in Windsor.

The disclosures have once again raised concerns about the prince’s judgment, and Buckingham Palace is likely to be on high alert over the claims of secretive meetings and continued ties to controversial figures.