the Double Life of Sir Anthony Blunt: Art Curator,MI5 Officer,and Soviet Spy
Sir Anthony Blunt,a name synonymous with art history and royal patronage,harbored a secret that would shock the British establishment. A renowned art historian and curator to Queen Elizabeth II, Blunt admitted in 1964 that he had been a Soviet agent since the 1930s. Recruited while an academic at Cambridge,he became part of one of the most infamous spy rings of the 20th century,the Cambridge Five.
During the Second World War, Blunt served as a senior MI5 officer, a position he exploited to pass large amounts of secret intelligence to the KGB. Astonishingly, he was allowed to retain his role in the British establishment, as authorities feared the public scandal that would erupt if his betrayal were exposed.
It wasn’t until the 1970s that the Queen was fully briefed on Blunt’s treachery. According to declassified MI5 documents now available at the National Archives in Kew, she was informed in 1973 by her private secretary, Martin Charteris. Michael Hanley, then head of MI5, noted, “She took it all very calmly and without being surprised.”
The revelation came amid fears that the truth would emerge after Blunt’s death. He was battling cancer, and journalists were already digging into his past. prime Minister Edward Heath, in February 1973, instructed measures to manage the anticipated media fallout. MI5, however, was reluctant to share information about Blunt, even with government officials. Neither Prime Minister Alec Douglas-Home nor several ministers in the 1964 Labor government were informed.
Professor christopher Andrew’s official history of MI5 reveals that Heath was later told the Queen had heard “more general information about ten years earlier.” Blunt’s role was finally made public by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1979. Stripped of his knighthood, he died in 1983, his legacy forever tarnished.
The story of Blunt’s espionage is further explored in an upcoming exhibition at the National Archives. The exhibition details MI5 officer Arthur Martin’s confrontation with Blunt,where he confessed after a struggle with his conscience. Martin recounted, ”He sat and looked at me for a whole minute without saying anything. I said his silence had already given me the answer I needed. Could he now get it all out of his system? He left the room, had a drink, and returned to tell his story.”
Blunt’s reply was equally dramatic: “Give me five minutes while I wrestle with my conscience.” After leaving the room for a drink, he returned to confess his story, standing by a high window overlooking Portman Square.
Key facts about Anthony Blunt
| Aspect | Details |
|————————–|—————————————————————————–|
| Role | Art historian, MI5 officer, Soviet spy |
| Recruitment | 1930s, while at Cambridge University |
| Espionage Activities | Passed secret intelligence to the KGB during WWII |
| Revelation | Admitted to being a soviet agent in 1964; publicly exposed by Thatcher in 1979 |
| Legacy | Stripped of knighthood; died in 1983 |
Blunt’s story is a chilling reminder of how deeply espionage can infiltrate even the most trusted institutions. His dual life as a respected art curator and a Soviet spy remains one of the most intriguing chapters in British history.
For more on this interesting tale, visit the National Archives exhibition, where Blunt’s declassified files are now on display.
