Prince Andrew under investigation for pseudonym when setting up a company

Prince Andrew, 64, son of Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Duke of York, was accused of using the pseudonym "Andrew Inverness" to register Naples Gold Limited in 2002 with businessman Johan Eliasz.

Written by Daily Mail, reported by UNN.  

Details

Graham Smith, chairman of the anti-monarchist organization Republic, filed a complaint with Scotland Yard, claiming that the prince had provided false information in documents for the Companies House register. The Metropolitan Police are currently reviewing the report to determine whether further action is required.

Graham Smith noted that Prince Andrew "should be held to the highest standards," adding that "members of the royal family seem to think they can do anything." Andrew used this pseudonym to register four companies with Companies House.

The pseudonym comes from one of his titles, the Earl of Inverness, granted to him by Queen Elizabeth II in 1986 when he married Sarah Ferguson.

Smith said: 

Submitting false information to Companies House may seem like a small thing, but there are serious problems with fraud being committed in the UK. Although no fraud is charged in this case, Andrew is still held to the highest standards

Closing of the investment company

On Sunday, it was reported that the company that managed Andrew's private investments has ceased operations. Urramoor Limited, which the prince controlled, filed for liquidation last week.

This comes a year after the company was rescued by an anonymous donor with £210,000 in irrevocable shares in December 2023. Prior to that, Urramoor had made £208,000 in losses.

The investment fund was founded by Andrew in 2013 under the name HRH Andrew Inverness, a year and a half after he was stripped of his role as special envoy for trade due to his links to Geoffrey Epstein. However, the company made no profit in the nine years of reports submitted.

The decision to liquidate Urramoor was signed by the company's director Arthur Lancaster on 3 January.

Problems with Pitch@Palace

In the wake of these events, it also emerged that more than £230,000 had been withdrawn from the Pitch@Palace initiative, which was supported by Prince Andrew. In the financial year to 31 March 2024, the company's funds were halved from £454,979 to £220,990.

The reasons for the use of these funds remain unknown. The spy scandal has also raised concerns about the activities of Pitch@Palace (an initiative founded by Prince Andrew in 2014 to support start-ups and entrepreneurs - ed.) after its former head of China, Yang Tengbo, was accused of having links to the Chinese intelligence services.

Yang, described as a ‘close confidant’ of Andrew's, is suspected of working with the United Front of China's Department of Foreign Affairs (UFWD), a body that exerts cultural influence abroad. In 2021, he was stopped from entering the UK, and in 2023, his residence permit was cancelled by Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who said it was in the ‘public interest’.

Young himself denies the allegations, calling them ‘baseless’ and claiming to be a ‘victim of the changing political climate’.

Recall

British Prince Andrew had to spend Christmas away from his family because of the Chinese spy scandal.