Widely regarded as the inspiration for the recast of the James Bond character “M,” she was the first British spy chief to be publicly named and photographed.

Stella Rimington, the first female chief of Britain's MI5, has died at the age of 90. Her family says she died on Sunday, surrounded by loved ones.

She was credited as the inspiration for Judi Dench’s M in James Bond films and was the first publicly named chief of Britain’s domestic intelligence service.