Queen Keeps Calm Amid Revelations of Soviet Spy in Royal Circles

Despite the shocking revelation that Anthony Blunt, a high-ranking art historian and Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures, had confessed to being a Soviet spy, Queen Elizabeth II remained composed upon learning the truth in the 1970s.

Queen Elizabeth II maintained her composure when she was finally informed that one of her esteemed courtiers, Anthony Blunt, had been a Soviet spy for nearly nine years. Newly released files from MI5 reveal that the Queen was left in the dark about Blunt's espionage confessions for close to a decade, despite his acknowledgment of spying for the Russians during World War Two in 1964.

Blunt, who served as the Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures, oversaw the Royal Art Collection during a career that spanned decades. His confession to MI5 came after affiliations with other known spies, such as Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean, who defected to the Soviet Union in 1951, raising suspicions. Although Blunt was interrogated multiple times by MI5, including assurances of immunity, he consistently denied any wrongdoing until that key confession.

The files indicate that, although Blunt's espionage activities were extensively documented, the Queen's private secretary was only informed of his suspected ties to communist intelligence. It wasn't until Blunt's health declined due to cancer that officials deemed it vital to inform the monarch, coming amid rising concerns about press coverage once Blunt passed away.

Upon receiving the news, the Queen reportedly took it "calmly and without surprise". This response aligns with the assertion from Blunt's biographer, Miranda Carter, who speculated that the Queen had likely learned of Blunt's spy status informally sometime earlier, suggesting that officials sought to maintain plausible deniability regarding the situation.

It wasn't until the late 1970s, as the controversy ignited further interest, particularly following Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's public disclosure of Blunt’s activities, that the full story finally unraveled. Blunt, who passed away in 1983 aged 75, was stripped of his knighthood, marking the end of a significant but scandal-ridden chapter in the royal court.

As the National Archives continues to release documents, including insights into other notable spies like Kim Philby and Dirk Bogarde, MI5's current leadership emphasizes a commitment to transparency, while still recognizing the necessity of confidentiality in many cases.