LONDON — Newly uncovered documents have revealed that Queen Elizabeth II was not informed about the secret life of her long-time art advisor, Anthony Blunt, who was actually a Soviet spy. Palace officials made this decision to avoid adding to her existing concerns. This information comes from a recent release by Britain’s National Archives, which included a trove of files from the MI5 intelligence agency. The documents provide additional context on a spy ring that emerged from Cambridge University in the 1930s, where members leaked classified information to the Soviet government from within the U.K.’s intelligence circles.
Blunt held the position of Surveyor of the Queen’s Pictures at Buckingham Palace and was suspected of espionage long before he ultimately confessed in 1964. During World War II, he had served as a senior officer in MI5 and admitted to sharing sensitive information with Soviet agents. In one of the newly declassified documents, an MI5 officer recorded that Blunt experienced a “profound relief” after finally revealing his secret. In an unusual arrangement, he was allowed to maintain his prestigious role, retain his knighthood, and preserve his societal status, all while the queen remained oblivious to the truth.
In 1972, Martin Charteris, the queen’s private secretary, communicated to MI5 head Michael Hanley that it was unnecessary to inform the queen as it would only increase her worries and there was no actionable solution regarding Blunt’s spying activities. The decision to inform the monarch only came in 1973 due to concerns over a potential media frenzy upon Blunt’s death. Charteris noted that the queen reacted with calmness and a degree of foreknowledge, recalling that Blunt had been a subject of suspicion in the early 1950s. Historian Christopher Andrew highlights that the queen had previously received vague information about Blunt’s activities.
Blunt was publicly exposed as a spy by then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher during a House of Commons session in November 1979. Although he was stripped of his knighthood, he never faced legal prosecution and passed away in 1983 at the age of 75. The documents that are part of this recent release will be presented in an upcoming exhibition named “MI5: Official Secrets,” set to open at the National Archives later this year. The spy ring of Cambridge also included Donald Maclean and Guy Burgess, both of whom fled to Russia. Another member, Kim Philby, continued working with foreign intelligence agency MI6 despite facing increasing suspicion.
The newly released files also include Philby’s confession and a transcript of a conversation he had with fellow MI6 officer Nicholas Elliott in January 1963. In this exchange, Philby confessed to betraying KGB officer Konstantin Volkov, who attempted to defect to the West in 1945 and offered crucial information about moles within British intelligence, including Philby himself. Philby’s interference led to Volkov’s abduction in Istanbul, after which he was transported back to Moscow and executed.
Elliott reported that Philby expressed regret but stated that if given the chance to relive his life, he would likely make the same choices. “I really did feel a tremendous loyalty to MI6,” Philby mentioned in the transcript. However, his ultimate allegiance lay elsewhere. When faced with his exposure, he stated that he faced a grim choice between taking his own life or facing prosecution. He chose to escape to Moscow, where he lived until his death in 1988.
The story of the Cambridge spies has been a source of inspiration for countless literary and cinematic works, including the recent 2023 series “A Spy Among Friends,” featuring Guy Pearce as Philby and Damian Lewis as Elliott. Furthermore, Blunt was portrayed in a 2019 episode of “The Crown,” with the character played by Samuel West.
