World
December 17, 2024 15:20
united kingdom - Prince Andrew is embroiled in a new scandal involving a Chinese spy, causing outrage among the British public and frustration within his family. Despite the backlash, he also receives support from some who consider him 'genius'.
Amidst widespread outrage in Britain, Prince Andrew finds himself in yet another controversy. His status as a royal highness was revoked years ago, and following the recent scandal, he was even excluded from the traditional royal family Christmas lunch at Sandringham estate in Norfolk.
The case involving the Chinese spy named Yang Tengbo is not new. Last year, Tengbo, a businessman and a close associate of Andrew, was barred from entering the UK. Despite his protests, the decision was upheld after a thorough investigation.
The scandal surrounding Tengbo took a mysterious turn as his identity was legally concealed as 'H6'. However, it was widely known through international media that he was indeed Tengbo, prompting calls for his identity to be revealed.
Andrew's troubles stem from Tengbo's involvement as the Chinese associate for the Pitch@Palace initiative. This initiative aimed to provide young entrepreneurs with royal endorsement for their business ventures.
The Pitch@Palace initiative, a charity in the UK, had a Chinese branch led by Tengbo, where Andrew reportedly received a 2% share of the deals made by the organization.
While the amount Andrew garnered from this arrangement remains unclear, the Chinese arm of Pitch@Palace was involved in plans for Andrew's Scottish alma mater, Gordonstoun, to establish branches in China.
Despite doubts about Tengbo's reputation, Andrew continued to strengthen his ties with him until Tengbo was banned from the UK last year.
Tengbo denies any involvement in espionage and attributes his ban to shifting political dynamics. He claims innocence and cites changing UK-China relations as the reason for his exclusion.
The specifics of the alleged espionage remain unclear. Tengbo had interactions with former UK Prime Ministers David Cameron and Theresa May, possibly facilitated by Andrew.
Some, like political commentator Quentin Letts, see Andrew's actions differently, suggesting he may be acting as a 'brilliant spy' for the UK's national security. Letts views Andrew's ability to attract media attention to dubious characters as 'genius'.