Anthony Blunt Royal Betrayal Secrets Revealed

The Secrets of Anthony Blunt: How Queen Elizabeth II Remained in the Dark for Years

One of the most shocking secrets in her royal household was hidden from Queen Elizabeth II for nearly ten years: Anthony Blunt, a trusted staff member and surveyor of the Queen’s photographs, had admitted to being a Soviet double agent. The British intelligence agencies carefully suppressed this explosive information, as seen by the recently disclosed MI5 secret security files, which show that the Queen was unaware of Anthony Blunt’s betrayal until 1973, over ten years after he had confessed in 1964.

Why Did Blunt Get Immunity, and What Was His Confession?

A famous Cambridge Five spy ring member, Anthony Blunt, was a Cambridge academic recruited by Soviet agents in the 1930s. An important turning point in British espionage history was his 1964 confession. But the Queen wasn’t informed of this until 1973 when worries about Blunt’s health and the possible consequences of his confession and exemption from prosecution being made public after his death surfaced.

The administration urged the Queen’s private secretary, Martin Charteris, to alert her. “She took it all very calmly and without surprise,” Charteris reported, recalling that he had been suspected in the days following the Burgess/Maclean case. She heard something from someone in the early 1950s, possibly after the succession. Michael Hanley, the director-general of MI5 at the time, pointed out that the Queen had not completely been ignorant of Blunt’s possible espionage connections.

Why Did the Queen Go Years Without Knowing About Blunt?

Interestingly, although the Queen’s role in Anthony Blunt’s account was mainly kept under wraps, the choice to inform—or, as it turned out, to keep her in the dark—was heavily influenced by her private secretary and other palace officials. According to MI5, the only two people aware of Blunt’s betrayal in the royal household at the time were Martin Charteris and his deputy, Philip Moore. According to Charteris, “She was not at all keen on Blunt and saw him rarely,” thus it was best to keep the Queen in the dark.

Michael Adeane, the Queen’s private secretary in the 1960s, was informed in 1964 that MI5 intended to examine Blunt in light of fresh information. Still, the specifics of Blunt’s confession were not revealed until 1967. “The Queen knew nothing about his security record,” according to a 1971 MI5 report. Hanley remarked that the Queen might not fully understand Blunt’s treachery until after his passing, “when she might learn a good deal from the newspapers.”

How Did the British Government React to the Cambridge Five Scandal?

In addition to being a personal betrayal, Anthony Blunt’s involvement in the notorious Cambridge Five spy ring was a security nightmare for the British government. In the 1930s, while attending Cambridge University, Blunt was recruited by Soviet operatives, along with Kim Philby, Donald Maclean, Guy Burgess, and John Cairncross. Over the years, these five guys penetrated Whitehall, the Foreign Office, and the top echelons of British intelligence.

Even though MI5 was aware of Blunt’s defection by the 1950s, his guilt was not established until 1964. Blunt had been suspected of spying for a long time and had been questioned several times by MI5 after Burgess and Maclean were deported in 1951. Blunt’s confession was unquestionably significant, but MI5’s top priorities were preserving the monarchy’s stability and averting public embarrassment.

Michael Hanley, director-general of MI5, recommended that the monarchy cut off relations with Blunt, but the palace objected. Charteris and Moore decided not to tell the Queen the whole truth in the months before Blunt retired in 1973. Charteris confirmed in an interview with Hanley that “there was no advantage in telling her about it now; it would only add to her worries.”

What Happened During Blunt’s Confrontation with MI5?

In April 1964, Blunt was confronted by MI5 agent Arthur Martin in his flat above the Courtauld Institute in London. During the confrontation, Blunt’s anxiety was apparent. Martin, who had confronted Blunt multiple times, recounted how Blunt’s “right cheek was twitching a great deal” as he tried to dismiss the accusations. Blunt initially denied everything, but as Martin presented evidence, including testimony from an American named Michael Straight, Blunt began to crack.

Martin, offering Blunt immunity from prosecution in exchange for a confession, described how Blunt initially hesitated. “Give me five minutes while I wrestle with my conscience,” Blunt told Martin. After a long pause, during which Blunt “seemed to be genuinely shattered,” Blunt finally gave in. Martin recalled, “Blunt expressed his profound relief after confessing.”

What Did Blunt Reveal About His Betrayal and the Cambridge Five?

During several interviews, Blunt revealed the shocking details of his involvement in the Cambridge Five. He described the betrayal of his fellow spies, including his meeting with Guy Burgess in 1951. Burgess had returned to the UK from Washington to warn Donald Maclean, another Soviet agent, that he was in danger of being exposed. Burgess was in a “state of absolute total collapse,” and Blunt recounted how his colleague, in an intoxicated state, warned him that the Russians had “told me I must go, too.”

Blunt initially resisted, as he feared that the exposure of Burgess could lead to his capture. He believed that if Burgess and Maclean defected, it would blow their cover. “It was blowing everything,” Blunt said, revealing the fear and paranoia among the members of the Cambridge Five.

Why Did Blunt Refuse to Defect to Russia?

Blunt’s eventual involvement with Soviet handlers was more reluctant than his comrades’. He described how his Russian contact, “Peter,” had attempted to recruit him. Blunt met “Peter” only twice after being instructed to find a “white chalk cross,” which was a miscommunication. When they finally met, “Peter” ordered Blunt to travel to Paris, Helsinki, and Russia.

Blunt, however, refused to cooperate. “Quite apart from the fact that I had no intention of going, it became perfectly clear to me that they simply hadn’t made any plans whatsoever,” he told Martin. Blunt later admitted that he was “faintly surprised” at the handler’s lack of violence when he refused to go. Despite the pressure, Blunt resisted the Soviet demands and refused to leave Britain.

How Did Blunt’s Death Impact the Public Discovery of His Secrets?

Anthony Blunt died in 1983, aged 75. The secrecy surrounding his betrayal persisted for years, even after his death. It wasn’t until Margaret Thatcher, in 1979, revealed Blunt’s role as a Soviet agent to the public that the full scope of his treachery became widely known. By then, the Queen had long been informed, though the palace and MI5 had carefully managed the years of silence. Blunt’s death, while not marking the end of his scandalous legacy, brought closure to one of the most audacious spy rings in British history.

These newly released files have finally shed light on how the royal household, the British government, and MI5 navigated the treacherous waters of espionage, loyalty, and betrayal. The secrecy that once protected the monarchy now exposes the complex web of deception at the heart of Britain’s intelligence network.

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