Newly declassified MI5 files reveal Queen Elizabeth II kept in dark about Russian spy in palace

Newly declassified MI5 files reveal Queen Elizabeth II was initially unaware of her close aide was also a Russian spy to protect her from additional concerns. Palace officials feared the news that her art adivisor was also a Russian agent would upset her.

This was revealed as the the National Archives released MI5 intelligence files about the royal art historian, offering fresh insights into a Cambridge University-linked spy network from the 1930s that leaked classified information to the Soviet Union from within British intelligence.

Blunt, the Surveyor of the Queen’s Pictures, confessed in 1964 to giving information to the KGB while working for MI5 during World War II. The released documents indicate that Blunt experienced "profound relief" after his confession. He also retained his job and knighthood for cooperation.

In 1972, the Queen’s private secretary, Martin Charteris, told MI5 “the queen did not know and he saw no advantage in telling her about it now; it would only add to her worries and there was nothing that could done about him.”

However, due to Blunt’s illness and fear of media scrutiny upon his death, the Queen was finally informed in 1973. Charteris revealed that the queen received the news calmly and recalled earlier suspicions from the 1950s. MI5's official historian Christopher Andrew noted that the queen had previously received "general terms" information about Blunt.

Later, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher publicly revealed Blunt’s spying in 1979. He lost his knighthoot but wasn't prosecuted, and died in 1983.

The files are part of a future National Archives exhibition. They also include another Cambridge spy Kim Philby’s confession about betraying KGB defector Konstantin Volkov, who was later abducted and killed. “I really did feel a tremendous loyalty to MI6. I was treated very, very well in it and I made some really marvelous friends there,” Philby said. "But the overruling inspiration was the other side.” Philby later escaped to Moscow.