Visitors to Frieze London who venture beyond the bounds of the art fair may find themselves retracing footsteps of famous — and infamous — British spies.
The fair, which runs from Oct. 16 to 19, takes place in Regent’s Park, which is not only one of London’s most prized green spaces but also the location of key moments in espionage history.
This may not come as a surprise to fans of “Slow Horses,” an Apple TV+ series based on a novel series by Mick Herron that sets MI5, Britain’s domestic security service, on the park. Though the real MI5 building is situated on the Thames River, not far from the Houses of Parliament, the Regent’s Park area has still played a role in London’s spy history.
In a video interview, Dan Parry, who runs spy-themed tours for London Walks, said that London spies in the 20th century often favored meeting spots with the “mark of respectability and money,” because they usually came from upper-crust backgrounds themselves. Regent’s Park, he said, fits in as a “chic, genteel part of London.”
Here are sites in the area that are a part of this history — hiding in plain sight.
Tradecraft in the Park
In 1934, Regent’s Park was the setting of an episode involving one of Britain’s most notorious spies: Kim Philby. He was recruited as an agent by the Soviet Union. Philby later joined MI6, Britain’s foreign intelligence service, and was one of a group of double agents known as the Cambridge Five who undermined Britain’s intelligence for decades.
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The post Just Outside Frieze London, Visitors Can Explore Key Moments in Spy History appeared first on New York Times.
