How Queen was kept in dark about spy for nearly a decade

Palace officials hesitated to tell the Queen about Blunt’s betrayal

Queen Elizabeth II wasn’t fully briefed on the espionage exploits of her art surveyor, Anthony Blunt, until 1973—a staggering nine years after his confession.

The records, released by the National Archives, reveal that palace officials deliberately delayed telling the monarch about Blunt’s shocking double life as a Soviet spy.

Despite the betrayal, the Queen reportedly received the news with her trademark composure, described as “calm and without surprise” in a letter penned by her then-private secretary, Sir Martin Charteris.

Blunt, a celebrated art historian, had been appointed surveyor of the Queen’s pictures by King George VI in 1945, a role he held with distinction for nearly two decades.

However, behind the polished facade, Blunt confessed in 1964 that he had been working for Russian intelligence since the 1930s.

He later unmasked as the “fourth man” in the infamous Cambridge Five spy ring, maintained his prestigious royal position until his retirement in 1972, despite admitting to espionage dating back to the 1930s.

Newly disclosed correspondence reveals a palace strategy to shield the Queen from the full truth, spearheaded by her private secretary, Sir Martin Charteris.

In November 1972, MI5 Director-General Michael Hanley pressed Charteris to cut ties with Blunt. Charteris resisted, reasoning there was “little point” as he was nearing the end of his tenure.

He reportedly added that the Queen “was not at all keen on Blunt and saw him rarely,” downplaying the need for immediate action.

Prime Minister Edward Heath took decisive action, ordering preparations for a potential press scandal and instructing Charteris to brief the Queen.