Suspected Chinese spy linked to Prince Andrew banned from UK. What to know
Al Jazeera
A 50-year-old businessman allegedly entered royal residences and was told by an adviser to Andrew that he was ‘at the very top’ of an influential circle.
A tribunal in the United Kingdom has upheld a government decision to ban a Chinese businessman with alleged links to Prince Andrew from entering the country.
Judges on Thursday said the alleged spy – named as “H6” – posed a national security risk, and they threw out his appeal against an earlier decision to exclude him from the UK.
The man had reportedly become a “close confidant” of scandal-hit Andrew and was invited to royal residences, such as Buckingham Palace. The man also allegedly met with two former UK leaders on various occasions.
According to a statement on Friday, Andrew’s office said the Duke of York has “ceased all contact” with the alleged spy. The pair had met through official channels and did not discuss matters of a “sensitive nature”, the statement read.
However, some lawmakers have voiced fears that the man could already have influenced the duke or other top officials and are pushing for decisive government action against China.
