The Duke of York was viewed by the Chinese state as a “valuable communication channel”, according to newly released court papers.
They indicate MI5 questioned Prince Andrew’s most senior aide about their “clandestine” relationship with an alleged Chinese spy.
Andrew, 64, first met the suspected agent, Yang Tengbo, in 2013 at a reception during the Shanghai Grand Prix, hosted by Sir Ron Dennis, the former head of McLaren. Yang, 50, became a confidant of the duke and helped to launch his Dragons’ Den-style Pitch@Palace business initiative in China.
