A secret MI6 file was said to have been created on Prince Andrew after agents became concerned about his friendships

Prince Andrew and Yang Tengbo (left) (Image: undefined)

Prince Andrew has reportedly been at the heart of a clandestine MI6 file due to concerns over his associations.

The dossier, said to have originated in the late 1990s, spans the period when the Duke of York, now embroiled in a Chinese espionage scandal, became acquainted with alleged Beijing agent Yang Tengbo.

It’s believed that FBI agents in the US, while investigating Andrew’s ties with convicted billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, learned that Epstein was on MI6’s radar. Eager to delve into the nature of their connection, they sought details from British authorities but were met with resistance.

Insiders told the Mirror that there were numerous mentions of Andrew within Epstein’s file, which American investigators thought would aid their probe. Due to strict diplomatic rules, royals themselves cannot be the subjects of MI6 files, yet their associates can be.

Prince Andrew is in the spotlight (Image: Getty)

This creates a complex situation as mere association with royalty isn’t grounds for consideration; however, when someone catches the intelligence services’ eye, like Yang did, all their connections – including those with the Royal family – are documented.

An insider told the Mirror: “The Queen had a well-known and close relationship with the intelligence services. As monarch, she, and now King Charles, were and are privy to classified briefings.

“It is ironic to think her son was then mentioned in MI6 cables of national security because of the friends he kept.”

New York investigators reportedly contacted UK authorities to request access to the files relating to Epstein and his global network of business contacts and interactions.

Melania Trump, Prince Andrew, Gwendolyn Beck and Jeffrey Epstein at a party at the Mar-a-Lago club, Palm Beach, Florida, in 2000 (Image: Getty Images)

A source who liaised with them revealed their probe found a “crossover with MI6 relating to individuals potentially linked to international, serious crimes”.

A second source confirmed that officers involved in the Epstein criminal probe had contacted MI6.

The insider added: “The whole purpose of what they were looking at was not revealed in detail about each individual, but the broad focus was concerns about illegal activity which could impact sovereign matters in the UK.

“Within that examination, it emerged that the Duke’s movements and interactions with people in Epstein’s circles were monitored and collated in files.”

This revelation surfaces just days after reports emerged linking Andrew as an associate of Yang, who has been prohibited from entering the UK by the semi-secret national security court.

Judges heard that Yang had been trying to exploit Andrew’s influence. Nonetheless, the Prince maintains that he met Yang “through official channels” and insists that there was “nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed”.