Prince Andrew ‘ceased all contact’ with man accused of being a Chinese spy after concerns raised
The Duke of York has confirmed that he “ceased all contact” with a businessman, known only as H6, who is accused of being a Chinese spy. This happened as soon as concerns were raised about him, according to a statement from his office. Andrew had met the individual through “official channels” and there was “nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed”.
In a briefing for the home secretary in July 2023, officials claimed that H6 had been able to generate relationships between prominent UK figures and senior Chinese officials “that could be leveraged for political interference purposes”.
They also suggested that H6 had downplayed his relationship with the Chinese state, which combined with his relationship with Andrew, 64, represented a threat to national security.
A statement from Andrew’s office read: “The Duke of York followed advice from His Majesty’s Government and ceased all contact with the individual after concerns were raised. The Duke met the individual through official channels with nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed. He is unable to comment further on matters relating to national security.”
In a hearing back in July, the specialist tribunal heard that the businessman was informed by Andrew’s adviser that he could represent the duke when liaising with potential investors in China. It was also mentioned that H6 had been invited to Andrew’s birthday party in 2020.
