MI5 Files Reveal Queen Elizabeth II Kept in the Dark About Soviet Spy in Royal Household…reports London Daily Digital
Declassified MI5 files have revealed that Queen Elizabeth II was not informed for almost 10 years about Anthony Blunt, a trusted member of her royal household and surveyor of the queen’s pictures, confessing to being a Soviet double agent.
Blunt, a member of the notorious Cambridge Five spy ring, admitted in 1964 to spying for the Soviet Union while working as a senior MI5 officer. However, the newly released documents indicate that the queen was only officially briefed in 1973.
The confession remained closely guarded by MI5 due to concerns over potential political fallout. It was only when fears arose over Blunt’s health and the possibility of his immunity from prosecution becoming public that Prime Minister Edward Heath’s government requested Martin Charteris, the queen’s private secretary, to inform her fully.
According to the files, Charteris reported that the queen reacted “calmly and without surprise” upon learning the details, recalling suspicions about Blunt dating back to the 1950s. Despite his admission, Blunt continued in his royal role and was even knighted, as MI5 deemed it in the public interest to avoid drawing attention to the matter.
The files also disclose that only a few palace officials, including Charteris and his deputy, Philip Moore, were aware of Blunt’s confession. Charteris believed there was no benefit in informing the queen earlier, noting, “It would only add to her worries.”
Blunt’s espionage activities were tied to his recruitment in the 1930s while at Cambridge University. As part of the Cambridge Five—alongside Kim Philby, Donald Maclean, Guy Burgess, and John Cairncross—Blunt infiltrated key positions in British intelligence and government, passing secrets to the Soviet Union.
Blunt’s confession came during an intense MI5 interrogation in 1964, led by agent Arthur Martin. The files detail how Blunt initially dismissed allegations but eventually admitted to his role after being offered immunity from prosecution. Over the course of several interviews, Blunt disclosed his involvement in aiding the defections of Burgess and Maclean to the Soviet Union and his subsequent espionage activities.
Despite the gravity of his betrayal, Blunt’s role in the royal household remained unchanged until his retirement. The files show that successive prime ministers, including Alec Douglas-Home and Edward Heath, were also kept in the dark about Blunt’s confession until it became public knowledge in 1979 under Margaret Thatcher’s government.
Blunt’s revelations and the secrecy surrounding them highlight the complexities of Cold War espionage and the challenges faced by MI5 in balancing national security with political sensitivities.
The files were released ahead of an upcoming MI5 exhibition at the National Archives in Kew, which will feature detailed accounts of Blunt’s interrogation and other Cold War-era espionage activities.
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