English actor Hugh Bonneville recently revealed that he suspected his late mother Patricia was a spy for Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), otherwise known as M16. He, however, said that his mother denied being a spy when he asked about it.
In an interview with BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, the 52-year-old actor, known for playing Robert Crawley in the award-winning period drama series Downton Abbey, said his mother did admit that she worked for SIS for more than 30 years. But she has never discussed about her exact role at the security service.
"When I was about ten, she said, 'I am going to go and take a job for three days a week,'" Bonneville narrated. "We used to drop her off at her office sometimes at Lambeth North."
"Spin forward 30 more years and she had retired and I opened the newspaper one day and it said: 'Century House MI6 building to be sold', and I looked at the photograph and said, 'Mom, that's your office,' and she said, 'Oh yes, dear,'" Bonneville added. "I said: 'You're a spy', and she said: 'No, I am not a spy, dear.'"
Bonneville said he has no clear knowledge about his mother's specific involvement with M16. But he recalled that when her mother retired, their family friends and neighbors had nicknamed her "The Colonel."
"She passed away just over a year ago and, after she died, I asked my father if she had ever said anything about her work, and he said, 'Never, she just went to the office," Bonneville shared. "All I know is that she didn't have special umbrellas or knives coming out of her toecaps or anything like that."
"She did just work in the office," the actor stated. "But I am extremely proud not only that she found fulfilment in that work as well as bringing up us kids but that she never spoke about it."
According to its official website, SIS is an agency that works secretly overseas, developing foreign contacts and collecting intelligence to help safeguard the United Kindom's people, economy and interests. Their works include identifying and exploiting opportunities and navigating risks.
