Declassified MI5 files have unveiled that Queen Elizabeth II was unaware for nearly a decade that a trusted member of her household, Sir Anthony Blunt, was a Soviet spy. Blunt, a distinguished art historian and Surveyor of the Queen’s Pictures, had secretly confessed to being part of the notorious “Cambridge spy ring” as early as 1964.
The Cambridge spy ring, a group of British intelligence officers who passed state secrets to the Soviet Union during the Cold War, included infamous figures such as Kim Philby and Guy Burgess. Blunt’s role in the ring was uncovered by MI5 in 1964, but the confession was kept under wraps to avoid public scandal and protect national security interests. Despite admitting to his espionage activities, Blunt was allowed to continue in his royal role and even retained his knighthood for several years.
It was not until 1973 that Queen Elizabeth II was informed about Blunt’s double life. Sir Martin Charteris, the Queen’s private secretary, broke the news to her after MI5 determined she needed to know. The revelation came as a significant betrayal to the monarchy, as Blunt had been a close and trusted adviser, responsible for preserving and managing the royal art collection.
Blunt’s espionage activities were publicly revealed in 1979 by then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, leading to his disgrace and the stripping of his knighthood. However, by that time, he had spent decades embedded in the highest echelons of British society and government.
The files, released by the National Archives, offer new insights into the inner workings of MI5 during the Cold War and the delicate balance between protecting the monarchy and safeguarding national security. They also reveal the extent to which secrecy was maintained to avoid public outcry and diplomatic fallout.
Blunt himself referred to his spying as a “grave mistake” in a later confession but justified his actions as ideological during his youth. The Queen, known for her composure in the face of scandal, never publicly commented on the betrayal.
This latest revelation serves as a stark reminder of the pervasive reach of Cold War espionage and the extraordinary lengths taken to shield institutions from the fallout. For the monarchy, it underscores a period of vulnerability and the complex dynamics of trust within the royal household.
