Newly disclosed papers show that Prince Andrew's circle believed his image could not be salvaged shortly after his contentious interview with Newsnight.
Formerly confidential files concerning a tribunal about an accused Chinese spy connected to the Duke of York were released on Friday.
Dominic Hampshire, who was a senior assistant to the Duke before leaving the royal household in 2022, provided testimony at the Special Immigration Appeals Commission in the case involving Yang Tengbo, also referred to as Chris Yang.
Yang, who maintains his innocence, was expelled from the UK in 2023 due to concerns over national security.
The tribunal's judges determined that he was a 'trusted intimate' of Andrew, possessing 'a considerable level, one might even call it an extraordinary level, 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 sentiment was widespread among the royal family, regardless of what the duke believed might occur.'
'It was quite evident within the royal household that we needed to consider alternatives for the duke’s future outside of his royal responsibilities.'
Yang founded the Chinese branch of Pitch@Palace, an initiative aimed at assisting startup companies. This program began during Andrew’s time as a serving member of the royal family and persisted even after his disgrace.
At the time, it was considered a successful endeavor; however, entrepreneurs have since criticized this, raising concerns about whether Andrew leveraged his connections from his role as a working royal for unfair advantage.
Former MP Norman Baker called it a 'blunt effort to line his own pockets' earlier this week.
In his testimony, Hampshire stated that Yang was regarded as 'possibly the sole ray of hope' for Andrew following the duke's Newsnight interview, which damaged his reputation in China.
Nevertheless, he mentioned that 'there has never been even a single hint of concern for me' regarding him, and Andrew felt the same way.
Yang 'definitely does not have a close relationship with the duke,' Hampshire added.
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