Dame Harriet Walter has expressed astonishment after discovering that her mother, Xandra Carandini Lee, played a crucial role in the D-Day landings during World War II, a secret she kept until her death. The revelation came during the actress's appearance on the BBC programme Who Do You Think You Are?
Mother's Wartime Role Revealed
Xandra Carandini Lee, the elder sister of actor Sir Christopher Lee, was married to Harriet's father Roderick Walter. Initially, Harriet knew little of her mother's wartime activities, believing she had worked as a secretary. However, research by historian Dr Helen Fry uncovered that Xandra joined the Admiralty intelligence in 1943 as a temporary section assistant and later became an intelligence officer responsible for harbour defence activities between Cherbourg and Le Havre—the beaches of Normandy.
Dr Fry explained that Xandra was in charge of the entire intelligence picture for naval intelligence for the D-Day landings, collating reports for commanders and Winston Churchill. This included analyzing German ship movements, U-boats, and coastal defences to determine where to mount the landings. On the night of the first landings, Xandra analyzed intercepted messages decoded by Bletchley Park.
Harriet's Reaction
Harriet, known for roles in Succession, Wolf Hall, Downton Abbey, and Killing Eve, was left astounded. "Wow, it's just astounding," she said. "I had a rather frivolous idea of her just having a great time in the canteen and flirting with the boys. I had no idea she had this sort of responsibility. That is extraordinary."
She reflected on her mother's modesty, noting that Xandra always described her role as "one of the cogs in the machine." Harriet remarked, "She never talked about it. I would love to know about that side of my mother's past because she just never thought she'd done anything very interesting."
Family Legacy and Regret
Harriet, who has no children and one sister, shared the discovery with her remaining family. She expressed regret that she could not ask her mother for more details and lamented how her mother was treated by men in the family. "I'm sorry to say this but when I think how she was put down by my dad and my step-father—you know, 'your mother's not very logical'. Had they only known what she'd done, they might have treated her with more respect. I'm rethinking my mother entirely."
Xandra took her oath of secrecy seriously, and Harriet, who received her damehood in 2011—the same year her mother died—wished she had known earlier. "I feel silly that I've got some kind of fame for having done absolutely nothing except pretend to be other people for a living. And she had quite a strong role in the D-Day landings, which opened up the whole path to peace. Good for her."
Further Discoveries
Harriet also traveled to Tasmania to trace her ancestry, discovering her great-great-grandfather Girolamo was a dancer with financial problems, and his wife Maria was a famous opera singer. The episode of Who Do You Think You Are? airs on July 30 at 9pm on BBC1.
