The Duke of York has attended a summit of South-East Asian leaders in Thailand as part of the start-up mentorship scheme he founded.
Andrew was seen at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit held in the Thai capital of Bangkok on Sunday.
The 59-year-old royal attended the conference as part of Pitch@Palace, an entrepreneur support organisation he founded in 2014.
In the ‘Dream Office’ at @C_asean, #pitchatpalace Founder, @TheDukeOfYork gets Pitch@Palace ASEAN Boot Camp underway.
C ASEAN supports innovative startups from across the ASEAN & helps them achieve their business goals – thank you for hosting us today! pic.twitter.com/ogQ4fDVqWa
— Pitch@Palace (@pitchatpalace) November 3, 2019
Pitch@Palace has helped 931 start-up technology businesses to date and provides mentorship and links to potential investors.
Andrew arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok, on Saturday and was met by the British Ambassador to Thailand Brian Davidson and Jirayu Isarngkul Na Ayudhya, Privy Councillor to the King of Thailand.
On Sunday morning, Andrew attended a preparation event for the Pitch@Palace initiative prior to a business pitch contest to be held on Monday.
The conference will hear pitches from a number of entrepreneurs and the start-up with the best pitch of the contest will then travel to St James’ Palace on December 11.
After the Sunday morning event, Andrew visited the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit at Bangkok’s Impact Exhibition Centre.
Watch as The Duke of York talks about the global success of his initiatives, @idea_award and @pitchatpalace, at the 35th ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Bangkok, Thailand.#ASEAN2019 pic.twitter.com/Vflt9T7mMs
— The Duke of York (@TheDukeOfYork) November 3, 2019
The event agenda included international trade, sustainable development and the future of industrialisation.
The Duke of York’s appearance at the event comes after he made international headlines during the summer over his links with disgraced financier Jeffery Epstein.
The ASEAN summit has also featured meetings with world leaders and a speech from UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres about the plight of 730,000 Muslim Rohingya refugees from Burma.
ASEAN leaders meet each year to discuss policies on pressing issues while also maintaining a non-interference policy in their neighbour’s affairs.
Andrew has faced criticism about his links with Epstein, who was found hanged in his New York prison cell on August 10 while facing sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.
The duke categorically denies any wrongdoing.
Buckingham Palace has also been forced to issue strong denials over allegations made by Virginia Roberts in court papers in Florida that she was forced to have sex with Andrew when she was 17, which is under the age of consent in the state.
The palace called the allegations “false and without any foundation”, saying “any suggestion of impropriety with under-age minors” by the duke was “categorically untrue”.
