Hugh Bonneville, best known for playing the Earl of Grantham in Downton Abbey, has revealed that his mother worked for MI6, the UK's foreign intelligence service. The actor shared the discovery on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, explaining that he only learned of her secret career decades later.
Bonneville recalled that when he was about 10, his mother announced she would start working three days a week, prompting a tantrum. Years later, after her retirement, he saw a newspaper article about the sale of Century House, the MI6 building in Lambeth, and recognised it as her office. When he confronted her, she merely said, 'No, I'm not a spy, dear.'
Despite his mother—known to some friends as 'the Colonel'—never discussing her work, Bonneville believes her role was administrative rather than operational. He expressed pride in her dedication, noting that she never spoke about her job even after retiring. After her death at 85, his father confirmed she had never discussed it with him either.
Bonneville also spoke about the pressure of working with Dame Maggie Smith, who played his on-screen mother in Downton Abbey. He admitted being 'absolutely terrified' in both their first and last scenes together, praising her wit and high standards.
