The Prince Andrew will not be joining the royal family at Sandringham to celebrate Christmas this year, amidst controversies related to his connection with an alleged Chinese spy. The controversy arises after it was revealed that Yang Tengbo, a former close confidant of the Duke of York, has been banned from entering the UK due to accusations of covert and deceptive activities.
Yang, a Chinese businessman, would have taken advantage of his relationship with the prince to obtain invitations to events at Buckingham Palace, according to recent reports. These revelations led to Andrew being uninvited from a Christmas lunch at the Palace and being advised not to attend Sandringham during the holidays. Meanwhile, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, daughters of the Duke, had already planned to spend Christmas with their husbands' families.
In a statement issued on Monday, Yang vehemently denied the espionage accusations, calling them "completely false." For his part, Andrew stated on Friday that he had ended all relationship with the businessman after receiving "advice" from officials, emphasizing that they never discussed sensitive issues.
This decision marks a significant change in the Christmas traditions of the Duke of York, who has attended family gatherings at Sandringham in recent years, except in 2021 when the late queen chose to stay in Windsor due to the pandemic. In 2019, Andrew was also present shortly after stepping back from public life following the controversy over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
The case highlights the tensions surrounding Prince Andrew as he tries to stay out of new controversies, while the royal family faces media attention during a time traditionally reserved for unity and private celebrations.