Historian Helen Fry and diplomat Charlie Stuart explore the secret networks that helped liberate Belgium
Legend told that if the German army ever saw a ghostly white lady on the battlefield, its defeat was near. During both world wars, two British intelligence networks in occupied Belgium adopted her name — La Dame Blanche, the White Lady — believing that the intelligence they gathered would help bring about the end of German occupation. It did.
Drawing on newly declassified archives in Brussels and London, historian Dr Helen Fry uncovers the remarkable story of the male and female agents who risked everything to pass information behind enemy lines. In conversation with diplomat and former military officer Charlie Stuart, she explores how myth, courage, and espionage came together to change the course of history.
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Historian Dr Helen Fry has written more than 25 books on the Second World War, with a focus on British intelligence, espionage, and the secret war. Her latest work, The White Lady, explores two key British Secret Service networks operating in wartime Belgium. Her previous bestseller, Women in Intelligence: The Hidden History Across Two World Wars, offers a panoramic account of the many roles women played in intelligence: as civilians, codebreakers, and uniformed officers.
Her other acclaimed titles include The Walls Have Ears, Spymaster: The Man Who Saved MI6, Inside Nuremberg Prison, and MI9: A History of the British Secret Service for Escape and Evasion. She is a regular contributor to television documentaries, radio broadcasts, and podcasts, and has appeared live on the BBC for every D-Day anniversary over the past fifteen years.
In 2022 she was honoured as a Woman of Achievement at the Women of the Year Lunch Awards, and in 2023 received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Jewish Military History and Education. She serves as an Ambassador for the Military Intelligence Museum and is based in London.
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Charlie Stuart is a distinguished British diplomat with a rich background in military service, diplomacy, and security strategy. Currently the European Union’s Chief Security Advisor on Africa, Charlie plays a crucial role in shaping security policies across the continent.
Before entering diplomacy, Charlie served with distinction in the British Army. His transition into diplomatic service saw him hold senior roles, including Head of Delegation for the EU in Tanzania and Deputy Chief of Mission in both Tanzania and Iraq.
In addition to his public service, Charlie brings valuable experience from the private sector, where he served as a director of a global security firm based in the UK. He also has a background in corporate law, specializing in major projects and oil exploration.
