History & True Crime

The Secret Royals by Richard J Aldrich and Rory Cormac published today

07/10/2021

The gripping story of Britain’s most secret partnership: the monarchy and the intelligence services

The Secret Royals uncovers a remarkable relationship. It reveals how intelligence grew out of persistent attempts to assassinate Queen Victoria and then operated on a private and informal basis, drawing on close personal connections between senior spies, the aristocracy, and the monarchy.

With highlights ranging from the secret role of George VI in wartime deception operations with Eisenhower, to the Queen’s infamous trip to Northern Ireland in 1977, The Secret Royals offers a new global history of the royal family, shining a torch into the most secret rooms of the state and revealing them, for the first time, as real policy actors.

Through a prism of intelligence, spies and security, respected intelligence historians Richard J Aldrich and Rory Cormac present the British monarchy in an entirely new light with new narratives and fresh evidence.

‘Bizarre and disturbing episodes are revealed in this excellent history of the royal family’s relationship with espionage… bears all the hallmarks of the spy thriller… Through unbelievably thorough research – all of it fully referenced for grateful future scholars – they have compiled something comprehensive and compelling’

David Pegg, Guardian

‘Aldrich and Cormac have written an important book. Packed with new material and fresh insights, it offers an original way of looking at royal history. It’s also a very good read’

Jane Ridley, Literary Review

‘[A] thorough and informed survey of how matters of high state have really worked — and work’

Alan Judd, Spectator

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