It must be bad, because Prince Andrew is ceasing all contact with yet another figure whose public face may have cloaked sinister purposes.

A senior alleged Chinese spy befriended Prince Andrew and – in the way of Andrew’s unfortunate friendships with the late exploiter and trafficker of young women, Jeffrey Epstein and accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell – was invited to palace events. Worse, he was told he could represent the prince when dealing with prospective investors. Got to hand it to Andrew: he is one of the UK’s most productive source of plots for TV dramas.

We don’t know whether Andrew’s interest was aimed at personal gain in his endlessly difficult financial circumstances, or whether, having been removed from the role of trade envoy, he wanted to shore up his place in the royal “firm” by hosting a guest deemed interesting (for which read, rich and connected) enough to be photographed at social events with Theresa May and David Cameron.

While the Duke could not have known if his acquaintance had intense links to China’s deep state, the story lays bare how an open society, intent on making money out of the relationship with the massive Chinese........

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