Christopher Geidt: the suave, shrewd and mysterious royal insider

Off By Sharon Black

MPs have in the past asked in the Commons whether Geidt – now the Queen’s private secretary – was a member of MI6

This article was amended on 31 May 2013 to remove a number of inaccuracies regarding Sir Christopher Geidt in the article, which overstated his role as the Queen’s private secretary in relation to the royal charter for the press. We have also clarified aspects of his legal action against John Pilger and Central Television. We apologise for the errors.

When the Queen turned around to reveal herself as James Bond’s spymaster in a skit for the opening ceremony of the London Olympics, jaws dropped in living rooms around the country at the audacity and humour. But for those that know Sir Christopher Geidt, the Queen’s highly trusted private secretary who has been credited with her deft presentation in recent years, it was more a case of eyebrows raised.

Geidt, 51, now in his sixth year by the Queen’s side at Buckingham Palace, has a past that includes suggestions of involvement in and around the secret services. When he successfully sued for libel after being wrongly accused of being part of an SAS operaton training allies of the traitor …read more