Prince Andrew is hanging on by his fingernails right now after his latest controversy saw his name plastered across headlines once more for all the wrong reasons.
The Duke of York has been under the oh-so-bright spotlight all week after it was revealed he had been close friends with a businessman suspected of being a Chinese spy. The businessman, who has now been revealed as Yang Tengbo, has been banned from returning to the U.K. by the government after communication between himself and another party set off red flags concerning national security.
Andrew was fairly close to Yang, with the businessman supposedly even being invited to his 60th birthday party. Yang was stopped by police at the U.K. border, where his phone and other electronic devices were confiscated and searched in 2021. Letters were found on the devices that suggested he was trying to secure influence on behalf of the Chinese state.
This latest controversy could be the final nail in the coffin
Royal expert, Phil Dampier has now weighed in on the situation, telling The Sun that the scandal could be the “final nail” for the prince.
“The fact that this guy obviously inveigled himself into Prince Andrew’s circle, and was seemingly in and out of Royal Lodge… is a worry for the security services… Who knows what [a spy] might stumble across? It is a very big scandal.”
This is a serious breach of security and highly embarrassing for the Royal Family. Andrew has messed up a number of times now; the last time we heard about one of his “close friends” it resulted in one of the biggest scandals the family has seen in recent times. Now it’s happening again, and whether the prince knew anything about it or not, it’s getting to the point where some sort of action may need to be taken.
Prince Andrew’s history of controversies
The Duke of York is easily one of the most controversial members of the Royal Family. A few years ago his close ties to notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were made public. Images of Andrew, Ghislaine Maxwell, and a then 17-year-old Virginia Guiffre painted an even darker picture, suggesting Andrew at least knew about Epstain’s sex trafficking. Guiffre alleges she was forced to have sex with the prince several times between the ages of 16 and 17.
Andrew has denied the claims, but his botched interview with the BBC’s Emily Maitlis only made him look worse. Despite his denial, he quietly retired from his royal duties amid the backlash. Since then he’s had a few arguments with his older brother, King Charles III who wants him out of the royal lodge. Andrew has refused so far due to his stubborn belief he is in the right and has continued to stay there even after the king stopped funding him.
Considering his history, it sounds like royal expert Dampier may have a point. The king is already pretty angry with him over the whole royal lodge kerfuffle, now that he knows a spy might have been inside he may come down harder on his little brother. On top of all that, the public perception of the Duke of York is at an all-time low after the Epstein news.
Prince Andrew might be out of second chances at long last; this scandal is hugely embarrassing for not just him, but the rest of the Royals, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them finally cast him out. Even his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, seems to have given up on him, and she’s been by his side since the mid-’80s!
Published: Dec 17, 2024 12:57 pm