“Queen Camilla Honors WWII Spy Noor Inayat Khan with Portrait Unveiling”
Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom recently honored the heroic legacy of Noor Inayat Khan by unveiling her portrait at the Royal Air Force (RAF) Club. This event celebrated Inayat Khan’s exceptional contributions as an undercover agent for Britain’s Special Operations Executive (SOE) during World War II.
In a touching tribute, the RAF Club dedicated a room in her name, now known as the “Noor Inayat Khan Room,” where her newly revealed portrait adorns the walls. This room stands opposite a stained-glass window dedicated to women in the RAF, originally inaugurated by the late Queen in 2018.
Noor Inayat Khan’s remarkable journey began in Moscow in 1914 when she was born as Noor-un-Nisa Inayat Khan. She was a descendant of the renowned Tipu Sultan. Growing up in London and later moving to Paris during her school years, she found herself in the midst of World War II when Nazi Germany invaded France. Fleeing to England, she joined the RAF’s Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) before being recruited as a spy for SOE in 1942. Remarkably, in 1943, she became the first woman SOE operator to be sent into Vichy France.
In a courageous turn of events, Inayat Khan’s Paris Resistance Group faced significant arrests by the Gestapo. However, she steadfastly refused to abandon her comrades and worked tirelessly to rebuild the group. Tragically, she was captured and eventually shot by the Gestapo at Dachau in 1944.
The portrait, skillfully created by renowned British artist Paul Brason, beautifully captures Inayat Khan’s unwavering determination. Her exceptional bravery posthumously earned her the George Cross (GC), one of the highest honors for acts of great courage in extreme danger. She became one of only two WAAF members to receive this distinction.
Re-reported from the article published in PTI Image.
