Crown, Cloak, and Dagger: The British Monarchy and Secret Intelligence from Victoria to Elizabeth II

Surprising revelations about the active role of the monarch in British intelligence

The British Royal Family and the intelligence community are two of the most mysterious and mythologized actors of the British State. Crown, Cloak, and Dagger offers a new history of how the two have been inextricably linked from the reign of Queen Victoria to the present.

Richard J. Aldrich and Rory Cormac unveil a wealth of archival detail that changes our understanding of the role of the monarch in politics, intelligence, and international relations. Successive queens and kings have all played an active role in steering British intelligence, sometimes against the wishes of prime ministers. Even today, the monarch receives “copy No. 1” of every intelligence report. Attempted assassinations and kidnappings, the abdication crisis, world wars and the Cold War, and the death of Princess Diana are just some of the topics covered in the book.

Fascinating and fast-paced, Crown, Cloak, and Dagger demonstrates that the British monarch continues to be far more than a figurehead. This book will inform as well as entertain anyone with an interest in history, espionage, and the royals.

Richard J. Aldrich is a professor in the Department of Politics and International Studies at Warwick University and author of GCHQ: The Uncensored Story of Britain's Most Secret Intelligence Agency.

Rory Cormac is a professor in the School of Politics and International Relations at the University of Nottingham and author of How to Stage a Coup and 10 Other Lessons from the World of Secret Statecraft.