My Grandparents’ War

The Spy Who Was Kit Harington’s Grandfather

Professor Richard Aldrich tells actor Kit Harington about his grandfather’s time in the British Intelligence Service during World War II. John Harington was stationed in Jamaica as an agent of MI5 and MI6 to keep an eye on Edward, Duke of Windsor — Nazi sympathizer and former King of England, who abdicated his throne and served as governor of the Bahamas during the war.

The Spy Who Was Kit Harington’s Grandfather

2m 44s

  • Emeli Sandé: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Emeli Sandé

    S2 E4 - 44m 43s

    Singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé explores her grandparents’ remarkable stories, which span World War II, the Mau Mau insurgency in Kenya, and the fight for independence in Zambia. She faces a mix of emotions: “Both sets of my grandparents were involved in violent struggles in Africa,” she says. “One, tasked with upholding the British Empire. The other: trying to overthrow it.”

  • Toby Jones: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Toby Jones

    S2 E3 - 44m 15s

    Actor Toby Jones uncovers the remarkable World War II stories of his maternal grandparents, Reggie and Dorki, whose love endured despite the trauma and hardships they faced. He learns about his grandmother’s dramatic escape from the Nazis in Northern France, and solves the family mystery of how his grandfather was shot while fighting the Japanese.

  • Keira Knightley: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Keira Knightley

    S2 E2 - 44m 4s

    Actress Keira Knightley (Pride and Prejudice, Atonement) has starred in several films set during World War II, yet admits she never knew much about her grandparents’ actual wartime experiences. Now, through conversations with family members and historians, she learns of the triumphs and tragedies her grandparents faced during some of the biggest conflicts of the century.

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