King Charles has been secretly handing out awards to hundreds of British spies who have risked their lives to protect the state.
The Spy Oscars thank MI5 agents for foiling terrorist attacks and activities such as dismantling crime gangs and unearthing counter-espionage operations.
MI6 officers have also been honoured with the King praising them for international operations such as those in Russia, China and Iran.
Charles, who is patron of the intelligence services, handed out the awards while he was the Prince of Wales.
Prince William may now take over the role, although it has not yet been decided. He has previously carried out work experience alongside spies at MI5 and MI6 and at communications hub GCHQ.
The awards have been held by MI5 since 2012 at locations including its London HQ.
Support staff like archivists, interpreters and clerical personnel are eligible.
Despite saving the public from terror attacks, their heroism is kept secret for security reasons. Colonel Philip Ingram, a former Army intelligence officer, said it was “fantastic” that Charles wants to say thank you. He added: “We forget the contribution the intelligence services give to ensuring our safety and security and the contribution they make to Britain’s standing in the world.”
The King’s interest included a trip to GCHQ’s base in Manchester last January. During a visit to its HQ in Cheltenham, in 2019, he said: “The work you do is utterly essential. Its very nature means that your achievements are rarely made public, and that few people in this country will ever know just how great a debt we all owe you.”
“But for those of us privileged enough to understand something of what you do, the difference you make to our security, our prosperity and to the defence of our values, is both clear and of the utmost importance.”
At last year’s Coronation, MI5 said: “We have benefited from His Majesty’s public and private recognition of our work, including through a regular award ceremony in which he recognises the efforts and achievements of teams working in the UK’s intelligence agencies.”
“His dedication to the intelligence agencies means a great deal to our people.”