Maria Krystyna Janina Skarbek was the first and longest-serving female special agent working for Britain during World War II. Her hairbrush, which disguised a dagger, has been uncovered.
In September 2020, English Heritage unveiled a new blue plaque at a hotel in Kensington.
Number 1 Lexham Gardens formerly the Shellbourne Hotel was once home to one of the most remarkable secret agents of the second world war. It was also the place where her life was tragically cut short.
Christine Granville, born Maria Krystyna Janina Skarbek in 1909, was the daughter of a Polish aristocrat. When Germany invaded Poland, she and her then-husband abandoned their travels through southern Africa and went to England to help defend their homeland from Nazi rule. It was in London that she, along with MI6, concocted an utterly extraordinary mission that marked the beginning of her career as Britain s longest-serving female secret agent.