Dame Stella Rimington the first woman to run MI5 dies aged 90
Dame Stella Rimington, who worked her way up from being a part-time typist in MI5 to becoming the spy agency’s first female director general, has died aged 90.
Her family announced the successful author passed away ‘surrounded by her beloved family and dogs and determinedly held on to the life she loved until her last breath’.
Dame Rimington inspired the character of M in the James Bond films as portrayed by Dame Judi Dench, reflecting her prominence and leadership style.
(Credits: Angel Diaz/EPA/Shutterstock)
It is even rumoured that her dress style at the time influenced M’s wardrobe choices.
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She directed high-profile counter-terrorism efforts during the early 1990s, including the IRA bombing campaigns in London.
Dubbed the ‘housewife superspy’ when she came into the role, she became the first woman to lead the UK’s domestic security service (MI5), breaking gender barriers in national intelligence.
In 1965, she accompanied her husband on a diplomatic posting to the British High Commission in New Delhi.
There, she was recruited as a part-time clerk typist by the MI5 office in the High Commission.
Returning to the UK in 1969, she joined MI5 full-time, beginning a career which saw her head every department until her retirement from the Service in 1996.
She was also the first MI5 chief to be publicly named, with her identity and photograph officially released—marking a shift toward greater transparency and inclusivity in the British secret services.
In 2001, Stella published her autobiography, Open Secret before publishing ten novels featuring the fictional MI5 officer Liz Carlyle.
(Credits: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)
Sir Ken McCallum, current director general, said she ‘broke through long-standing barriers’ as the service’s first female head.
He said: ‘Dame Stella was the first publicly avowed director general of MI5. Her leadership ushered in a new era of openness and transparency about the work MI5 does to keep this country safe, a legacy that continues to this day.
‘As the first avowed female head of any intelligence agency in the world, Dame Stella broke through long-standing barriers and was a visible example of the importance of diversity in leadership.
‘Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with her husband, two daughters and extended family.’
