Prince Andrew and the Chinese spy: inside the Prince's long history of dubious relationships
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Prince Andrew is back in the spotlight once more this week after news has emerged of his alleged friendship with a Chinese spy, codenamed H6. Though his name hasn’t been reported, the businessman was banned from Britain twice by the government, but apparently managed to grow close to Andrew — to the extent that he visited Buckingham Palace and was also invited by the Prince to St James’s Palace and Windsor Castle.
Though Andrew says he “ceased all contact” when concerns were first raised — and that “nothing of a sensitive nature [was] ever discussed” — it’s not the first time that he’s found himself in hot water about whom he chooses to spend time with.
From dictators to the infamous Jeffrey Epstein, Andrew’s list of former acquaintances is long and many of them date back to the time he was made the UK’s special representative for international trade and investment in 2001. Over ten years, he embarked on hundreds of trips (leading to the nickname ‘Air Miles Andy’) in his attempts to foster good relations — including with many autocratic countries in the Middle East.
So who has he hung out with? We unpack some of the biggest names to feature in his diplomatic life, pre-retirement. A Libyan gunrunner, Kaituni was present at Fergie’s 60th birthday party and Eugenie’s wedding. He reportedly gifted Princess Beatrice, Andrew’s daughter, an £18,000 diamond necklace for her 21st birthday.
The pair first met in 2005 and their relationship started to raise concerns when it became apparent that Kaituni was rather well connected. It’s understood that he helped broker secret meetings between the Duke with Colonel Gaddafi — meetings which the BBC described as private and not arranged by the government. In 2011 he boasted to undercover reporters that he thought he could arrange for Andrew to make an appearance at the launch of a golf resort in Libya, in exchange for a fee.
