Prince Andrew has been linked to a explosive investigation into an alleged Chinese language spy recognized solely as “H6,” who has been barred from coming into the UK on nationwide safety grounds.

The businessman, previously a junior civil servant in China, is accused by M15 of covert actions for the Chinese language Communist Occasion (CCP).

The Particular Immigration Appeals Fee (SIAC) upheld the Residence Secretary’s determination to exclude him, deeming it justified and proportionate.

Described as a “shut confidant” of Prince Andrew, H6 had been entrusted with important entry to the Duke’s affairs.

Based on the SIAC ruling, a letter from Dominic Hampshire, a senior adviser to Andrew, authorised H6 to behave on his behalf when participating with Chinese language buyers.

The letter, retrieved from H6’s telephone throughout a 2021 border search, acknowledged: “Underneath your steering, we discovered a solution to get the related folks unnoticed out and in of the home in Windsor.”

“H6 was even invited to Andrew’s party in 2020 and was concerned in establishing the Eurasia Fund, a monetary initiative.

The judges famous: “The applicant gained a major diploma, one may say an uncommon diploma, of belief from a senior member of the Royal household.”

Officers argued that H6’s relationship with the Duke posed dangers of exploitation for political interference, notably throughout a interval when Andrew confronted public scrutiny over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

The SIAC panel mentioned Andrew’s vulnerability may have made him vulnerable to undue affect, including that the Duke was underneath “appreciable strain” and should have “valued the applicant’s loyal help.”

The ruling additionally detailed H6’s efforts to downplay his ties to the CCP. MI5 assessed him as a covert agent concerned in actions threatening the UK’s safety.

Regardless of his UK residency and enterprise pursuits, the judges decided the exclusion determination was rational, ruling: “The secretary of state was entitled to conclude that the applicant represented a danger to the nationwide safety of the UK.”

The SIAC initially granted H6 anonymity, however the judges later determined to raise the order. This has been quickly stayed pending an attraction.

The choice to publish the case was justified, because it underscored broader considerations about international affect in delicate areas of British public life.

This growth sheds gentle on Prince Andrew’s historical past of shut ties with China. Between 2004 and 2011, he continuously visited the nation because the UK’s particular consultant for commerce and funding, fostering relationships with senior Chinese language officers. In 2015, he performed a distinguished function in President Xi Jinping’s state go to to the UK.

The timing of the revelations compounds challenges for the beleaguered Royal, who has confronted monetary and reputational fallout after stepping again from royal duties after the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. King Charles reportedly severed the Duke’s annual allowance earlier this 12 months, intensifying Andrew’s struggles to take care of his Royal Lodge residence.

For now, H6’s id stays protected as authorized proceedings proceed, however the case raises crucial questions in regards to the dangers of high-profile relationships being exploited for international pursuits.