HRH, The Queen made a gratitude visit to MI5’s head office in London on Tuesday.
MI5 (Military Intelligence, Section 5) is the United Kingdom’s domestic counterintelligence and security agency and is part of its intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) and Defence Intelligence (DI). MI5 is directed by the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), and the service is bound by the Security Service Act 1989.
MI5’s whose motto means “Defence of the Realm” was previously visited by Prince William the Queen’s grandson who spent a week with each of the three branches of the UK’s Intelligence Services – MI5, MI6 and GCHQ – working full-time alongside operatives and agents to get an understanding for their crucial roles, gets thankful regards for their “tireless work” from the Queen herself this year.
The 93-year old Monarch got a tour from MI5’s Director, General Andrew Parker of the agency’s private museum and artefacts relating to double agents who helped deceive the Nazis over the site of the Second World War D-Day landings. She was also told about the work of her King George VI, in helping to distract the enemy during the war by visiting a fake oil storage depot in Dover built by Shepperton film studios on behalf of the War Office.
In response, Her Majesty delivered a speech to staff, saying: “I would like to take my visit here today as an opportunity to thank you all for the tireless work you do to keep our country safe. I am always struck by the remarkable resolve with which you carry out your vital role. There will no doubt continue to be significant threats and challenges ahead. But on each of my visits to MI5, I have been impressed by the way that you have adapted to the changing threats to our nation. Whether responding to the threats from the Nazis or the Cold War, domestic terrorism or the cyber sphere, you have always demonstrated the utmost commitment to your motto: “Regnum Defende. Because of the nature of your work, it is without public recognition, so it is on behalf of the country that I say to you all, thank you.”
For this engagement the Royal monarch wore a plum coat with a matching hat and a patterned dress, black patent handbag, gloves and black shoes.
