Prince Andrew is a ‘victim’, says Lord Patten (Image: GETTY)
Lord Chris Patten has voiced his sympathy for , a new book has revealed.
It was revealed last month that the Duke of York had cancelled plans to spend Christmas at the Sandringham estate after his friendship with an alleged Chinese spy came to light.
It was shortly before Christmas it was revealed that Andrew had allegedly – including that of Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.
After the alleged spy – who has been named as Yang Tengbo – denied the “entirely untrue” claims, Lord Patten has now spoken out about the pair’s friendship.
The that the last governor of British Hong Kong has shared that he believes the Duke of York, 64, to be a “victim”.
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According to the Daily Mail’s diary editor Richard Eden, Lord Patten said: “He is a hapless victim of United Front [Chinese Communist Party operatives] activity in this country.”
He also reportedly told Mr Eden, “I don’t think Andrew has large numbers of state secrets.”
The former Tory chairman’s new book, The Hong Kong Diaries, details his time as governor of the former British colony.
Since the claims came to light, Yang has denied spying for the Chinese state in a statement.
He was also reported to have attended Andrew’s 60th birthday party and was the founder-partner of the Chinese arm of the Duke’s Pitch@Palace initiative.
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Lord Patten pictured in 2021 (Image: GETTY)
Yang is reported to have visited Buckingham Palace two in 2018. The Duke of York is understood to have ceased contact with the businessman after the government raised concerns.
King Charles has even faced a briefing by intelligence services about his brother’s links to Yang, according to reports.
Andrew stepped down as a senior working royal after his bombshell interview for Newsnight in 2019. In the interview, in which the royal was interviewed by Emily Maitlis, Andrew discussed his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew, the father of and , is thought to have spent Christmas at home in Windsor with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson. The former couple live at 30-room, Royal Lodge. The grade II listed home is based on Windsor Great Park.