Aides ‘knew Prince Andrew’s image was irrecoverable’ after Newsnight interview

Prince Andrew’s entourage felt his reputation was ‘irrecoverable’ soon after his disastrous Newsnight interview, newly released documents reveal.

Previously secret documents relating to a tribunal for an alleged Chinese spy linked to the Duke of York were made public on Friday.

Dominic Hampshire, a senior aide to the Duke until he left the royal household in 2022, gave evidence the Special Immigration Appeals Commission in the case of Yang Tengbo, also known as Chris Yang.

Yang, who denies wrongdoing, was removed from the UK on national security grounds in 2023.

The tribunal’s judges found he was a ‘close confidant’ of Andrew, having ‘won a significant degree, one could say an unusual degree, of trust’.

In his witness statement, which was made available on Friday, Mr Hampshire said: ‘After the Newsnight interview and in the following few months, it was clear that the duke’s reputation was irrecoverable.

‘This was a common feeling within the royal household, despite what the duke thought may happen.

‘It was very clear internally within the royal household that we would have to look at options for the duke’s future away from royal duties.’

Yang was the founder-partner of the China arm of Pitch@Palace, a scheme to help start-up businesses set up by Andrew while he was still a working royal and continued with after he was disgraced.

It was seen as a successful venture at the time, although entrepreneurs have since criticised its and concerns have been raised about whether Andrew unfairly use contacts he gained as a working royal.

Former MP Norman Baker this week branded it a ‘crude attempt to enrich himself’.

In his witness statement, Hampshire said Yang was seen as ‘arguably the only light at the end of the tunnel’ for Andrew after the duke’s Newsnight interview trashed his reputation in China.

However he said there had ‘never been one single red flag in my head’ about him and Andrew was ‘of the same opinion’.

Yang ‘categorically does not have a close relationship with the duke’, Hampshire added.

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