MI6 (SIS)

Stats

Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), 85 Albert Embankment, London, SE1 1BD, United Kingdom

Featured in Goldeneye (1995), The World Is Not Enough (1999), Die Another Day (2002) and Skyfall (2012)

Profile

In the films MI6 is the operational workplace of James Bond, agent 007. While various parts of London has been used as establishing shots for Bond's office, such as the Old War Office in Whitehall, it is not until Goldeneye that the actual MI6 building is used.

Whatever building has been used, Bond receives his mission briefings from M and obtains vital equipment from Q here. That is of course when Bond is not being equipped in the field, much to the disgust of a travel-weary Q.

In Goldeneye this unique structure is seen early in the film when Bond reports back to HQ after seeing the Tiger Helicopter stolen from Port Hercule Harbour in Monaco. In The World Is Not Enough, Bond brings in the money bomb which kills Sir Robert King, and blows a hole into the side of the building. When Bond spots the 'Cigar Girl' in her Sunseeker, he decides to use the Q-Boat to make pursuit.

Die Another Day marks the last appearance of the SIS building in the Brosnan era and is seen in the middle of the film with Q. It also appears at the very end of film where Miss Moneypenny uses the virtual reality simulator.

About

This elaborate structure is the home to the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS). The SIS is commonly better known as MI6 (Military Intelligence section 6), especially by people outside of the service. The two titles are used very much interchangeably, even though official use of MI6 has long since been phased out. It operates under the formal direction of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) alongside the internal Security Service (MI5), the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) and Defence Intelligence (DI).

While MI5 concentrates on domestic affairs, it is the role of MI6 to deal with foreign affairs such as regional instability, terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (to name a few) and provides Her Majesty's Government with a global covert capability to promote and defend the national security and economic well-being of the United Kingdom.

Towering over nine-floors costing over £350million, the Vauxhall Cross building is like a self-contained city with squash and basketball courts, a gym, restaurant, coffee lounge and bar.

Trivia

Obviously Bond producers were not allowed to blow a hole in the side of the real building during The World Is Not Enough. Consequently a very precise model had to be created for the front of the building. It is a testament to these model builders that it is virtually impossible to tell the difference onscreen between the two.

The best views of the building are gleamed by crossing the bridge over the Thames and heading down the steps into Millbank. It is perhaps not a wise move to try to gain entry to the building, where police officers with automatic weapons frequently patrol.

The nearest tube station is Vauxhall, taking exit 6. §