<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Britain's semi-secret immigration court on Friday released further documents suggesting that </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/prince-andrew" rel="" target="" title="Prince Andrew"><span>Prince Andrew</span></a><span> became entangled with a suspected Chinese spy because he was desperate to rebuild his reputation after a disastrous 2019 interview with the BBC.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Special Immigration Appeals Commission released the witness statement of royal aide Dominic Hampshire, who helped arrange meetings between the prince and the suspected spy, Chinese businessman Tengbo Yang.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The statement was initially kept private, but the commission released it after appeals by news organisations that argued it was in the public interest.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/russell-brand-charged-with-rape-and-sexual-assault-by-uk-police/f1d2ac59-74be-490c-be7d-3e0d9d80acd2"><strong><span>Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"After the Newsnight interview and in the following few months, it was clear that the duke's reputation was irrecoverable," Hampshire said in the witness statement. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This was a common feeling within the royal household, despite what the duke thought may happen.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It was very clear internally within the royal household that we would have to look at options for the duke's future away from royal duties," he said.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/prince-andrews-damaged-reputation-led-to-links-with-chinese-man-accused-of-spying-documents-show/e507d857-3e2a-4ef5-917b-5f3bb3f95504" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Andrew, also known as the Duke of York, has said that he accepted government advice and ceased all contact with the Chinese national as soon as concerns were raised.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple App Store</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>.</span></em></strong></div></div>