Prince Andrew pulls out of King Charles' Christmas lunch

Prince Andrew has pulled out of pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace amid Chinese spy scandal, according to the British media.

The younger brother of the King will not join Royal Family after speaking to ex-wife Sarah Ferguson who advised him not to attend, Daily Mail reported.

Andrew is facing intense media scrutiny on Saturday after revelations that a close Chinese business associate of the scandal-hit younger brother of King Charles was thought by the British government to be a Chinese spy.

In a court ruling on Thursday, it was disclosed that the businessman, known only as H6, had been banned from Britain on national security grounds because the authorities suspected he was working clandestinely for Beijing to forge close contacts with prominent British figures.  

Late on Friday, Andrew, the Duke of York, issued a statement to the BBC and other media in which he said he had "ceased all contact" with the individual, described in the court documents as a "close confidant", once concerns were raised.

"The duke met the individual through official channels, with nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed," the statement said.

However, questions about the case have continued to dominate British front pages and news broadcasts.