Queen was not told of key details regarding Soviet spy in royal circles until nine years after his confession
Sarah Ferguson remembers the late Queen.
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Newly released MI5 documents have revealed that Queen Elizabeth II was not formally briefed about the full extent of royal art surveyor Anthony Blunt's Soviet spy activities until 1973, nearly a decade after his confession.
The documents, made public by the National Archives, show that palace officials deliberately delayed informing the monarch about Blunt's treachery, which he had admitted to in 1964.
The Queen reportedly took the news "calmly and without surprise" when finally told, according to a personal manuscript letter from her then-private secretary, Sir Martin Charteris.
Blunt had served as the surveyor of the Queen's pictures from 1945, having been appointed by King George VI.
A distinguished art historian, he maintained this prestigious position at Buckingham Palace for 19 years before confessing in April 1964 that he had been spying for Russia since the 1930s.
Newly released MI5 documents have revealed that Queen Elizabeth II was not formally briefed about the full extent of royal art surveyor Anthony Blunt's Soviet spy activities until 1973, nearly a decade after his confession.
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He would later be identified as the "fourth man" of the Cambridge Five, a notorious group of university-educated spies who worked for the Soviets into the 1950s.
Blunt continued in his royal role after his confession, only retiring from his position in 1972.
Palace officials were reluctant to inform the Queen about Blunt's espionage activities, with documents revealing internal discussions about the matter.
In November 1972, MI5's director-general urged Sir Martin Charteris, the Queen's private secretary, to sever links with Blunt.
Sir Martin refused, arguing there was little point as Blunt's tenure was ending soon.
Palace officials were reluctant to inform the Queen about Blunt's espionage activities, with documents revealing internal discussions about the matter.
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"Charteris thought the Queen did not know and he saw no advantage in telling her about it now; it would only add to her worries," reported Michael Hanley, then-director general of MI5.
Sir Martin also noted that "contrary to what Blunt may have said in the past, the Queen was not at all keen on Blunt and saw him rarely."
Officials finally moved to inform the Queen in early 1973 due to growing concerns about potential media exposure.
The catalyst was Blunt's serious illness with cancer, which raised worries that if he died, he could not be subject to libel laws, potentially allowing journalists to investigate his espionage activities.
Prime Minister Edward Heath ordered preparations in February 1973 for handling any potential media storm.
Heath also instructed Sir Martin Charteris to formally brief the monarch about Blunt's activities.
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Officials finally moved to inform the Queen in early 1973 due to growing concerns about potential media exposure.
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A month later, on March 19, MI5's Mr Hanley reported that cabinet secretary Sir Burke Trend had shown him a "personal manuscript letter" from Sir Martin confirming the Queen had been informed.
According to MI5's official history by Prof Christopher Andrew, while this was the formal briefing, the Queen had been informed "in more general terms about a decade earlier."
Blunt's Soviet spy activities remained officially secret until 1979, when Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher finally exposed him in a Commons statement.
He was subsequently stripped of his knighthood.
Blunt died in 1983 at the age of 75, suffering a heart attack at his London home.
"People have speculated over the years on how it was that Blunt was about to stay at the top of the establishment for so long," noted Mark Dunton, historian at the National Archives.
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