In written evidence to a tribunal over an alleged Chinese spy, Dominic Hampshire – who worked with the Duke of York until 2022 – said the view reflected ‘a common feeling within the royal household’
A former senior aide to Prince Andrew said the Royal’s reputation was “irrecoverable” after his infamous BBC Newsnight interview. Dominic Hampshire, who worked with the Duke of York until 2022, said this reflected “a common feeling within the royal household”.
His comments have emerged in written evidence to a tribunal over an alleged Chinese spy. Mr Hampshire provided a witness statement to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission in the case of Yang Tengbo, who was excluded from the UK on national security grounds in March 2023. Tengbo has been accused of using his position as an influential businessman in Andrew’s inner circle to secretly further the aims of the Chinese state.
Prince Andrew gave the disastrous interview to Newsnight in 2019 about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In his statement, 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.”
In a statement after documents from the Special Immigration Appeals Commission case were disclosed to the media, Dominic Hampshire said: “I left the royal household in 2022, and I now no longer provide advice – formally or informally – to The Duke of York. The desire to keep my witness statement out of the media was solely to protect the confidential interactions I had with Buckingham Palace and the intelligence services.
“The Palace was kept informed of all my commercial endeavours on behalf of the Duke of York, and full disclosure of all communications with Mr Yang, the Hampton Group and China was offered to both Buckingham Palace and the intelligence services. At all times I sought to protect the best interests of the royal family with integrity and loyalty.
“For the record, as soon as the Duke of York was advised to cease all contact with Mr Yang, he fully complied. He did not receive a penny in funding or support, directly or indirectly, from any Chinese individual or entity. In my personal business capacity, I continued dealings with the Hampton Group in China – which is not sanctioned – and, in accordance with current UK policy, doing business in China and with Chinese individuals is entirely legitimate. I am now a private businessman and none of my business interests are connected to any member of the royal family.”
In his statement, Mr Hampshire said that he used “artistic licence” to maintain Mr Yang’s support for Andrew following the Newsnight interview. The former senior aide told Mr Yang that he sat “at the very top of a tree that many, many people would like to be on”, outside of the duke’s “closest internal confidants”, in a letter inviting him to Andrew’s 60th birthday party in 2020.
READ MORE: Prince Andrew aide’s statement in alleged Chinese spy case can be made public, tribunal rules
Mr Hampshire said he used “artistic licence” with Mr Yang, who he referred to in his statement as ‘Chris’. He said: “As is regularly the case in some communications, there was significant artistic license in ‘blowing smoke’ and stroking his (Mr Yang’s) ego to maintain Chris’s support of the duke. I do not remember being directly involved with the invitations for the duke birthday, it would almost certainly have been done via the duchess. However, I almost certainly would have said it would be a good idea to invite Chris as the situation for the duke was pretty dire.”
Mr Hampshire also said that while he appreciated Mr Yang’s “loyalty and support for standing by the duke when all others were deserting him”, Mr Yang “categorically does not have a close relationship with the duke”.
He said: “It is important to note that Chris categorically does not have a close relationship with the duke. Anyone who understands how a member of the British royal family is looked after/advised would immediately know this. Chris, of course, doesn’t have the duke’s telephone number or his email address and does not have the ability to talk directly to the duke on his own – ever. This is normal practice and Chris’s relationship with the duke is the same as numerous others – this is my role – to protect him.”