Philby, Harry St. John Bridger, 1885-1960, British explorer, official, and author. He joined (1917) the British foreign service, was sent on a special mission to Arabia, and became the first European to visit the southern provinces of the Nejd. For some 30 years he was an adviser to King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia. Dissatisfied with British policy in the Middle East, he resigned (1930) from the foreign service, became a Muslim, and took the name of Hajj Abdullah.

Philby, Kim (Harold Adrian Russell Philby), 1912-88, British double agent; son of Harry St. John Bridger Philby, better known as Kim Philby, worked for many years as a Soviet spy within the British intelligence service. He came under suspicion when two of his associates, Donald Maclean and Guy Burgess, defected to the USSR in 1951, but his activities were not fully exposed until he himself defected in 1963. The case later received wide publicity.

orig. Harold Adrian Russell

(born Jan. 1, 1912, Ambāla, India—died May 11, 1988, Moscow, Russia, U.S.S.R.) British intelligence officer and Soviet spy. He became a communist at the University of Cambridge in the 1930s, and in 1933 he became a Soviet agent. Recruited into the MI-6 section of British intelligence by Guy Burgess (1940), he became head of counterespionage operations. In 1949 he was sent to Washington, D.C., as top liaison officer between British and U.S. intelligence services. He revealed top-secret information to the Soviets and in 1951 warned Burgess and Donald Maclean (1913–83) that they were under suspicion, enabling them to escape. Philby himself came under suspicion and was dismissed from MI-6 in 1955. He worked as a journalist in Beirut, then in 1963 he fled to the Soviet Union, where he worked for the KGB and rose to the rank of colonel. The most successful Soviet double agent of the Cold War period, he was responsible for the deaths of many Western agents.

Learn more about Philby, Kim with a free trial on Britannica.com.

orig. Harold Adrian Russell

(born Jan. 1, 1912, Ambāla, India—died May 11, 1988, Moscow, Russia, U.S.S.R.) British intelligence officer and Soviet spy. He became a communist at the University of Cambridge in the 1930s, and in 1933 he became a Soviet agent. Recruited into the MI-6 section of British intelligence by Guy Burgess (1940), he became head of counterespionage operations. In 1949 he was sent to Washington, D.C., as top liaison officer between British and U.S. intelligence services. He revealed top-secret information to the Soviets and in 1951 warned Burgess and Donald Maclean (1913–83) that they were under suspicion, enabling them to escape. Philby himself came under suspicion and was dismissed from MI-6 in 1955. He worked as a journalist in Beirut, then in 1963 he fled to the Soviet Union, where he worked for the KGB and rose to the rank of colonel. The most successful Soviet double agent of the Cold War period, he was responsible for the deaths of many Western agents.

Learn more about Philby, Kim with a free trial on Britannica.com.

The 'walking encyclopedia', as the book says, of The Kingdom Keepers series. He knows everything, and if he doesn't know it, especially if he needs to, he knows how to find out about it and does. His first name is never mentioned in the books, always being reffered to as 'Philby'.

The Kingdom Keepers: Disney After Dark

In this book, Philby finds out everything he can about the rides relating to the Stonecutter's Quill. He does in depth research of Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. He also shared with the other DHIs his knowledge of a secret entrance to Cinderella Castle.

The Kingdom Keepers II: Disney at Dawn

In The Kingdom Keepers: Disney at Dawn, Philby's main focus is contacting Wayne Kresky through VMK using a web terminal found in Camp Minnie Mickey. Using the gaming system to control basic park functions, Philby is able to access the park's security system, and let Amanda control it through the Animal-Cam at Rafiki's Planet Watch. He also helps the others locate the Overtakers' second DHI server, and crash it. His quick thinking skills allow him to solve the "Change Rob" anagram, (Chernabog), and open the tunnel beneath the tiger yards, allowing Finn and Jez to escape. He is hinted to be second in command, behind Finn, and has a building relationship with fellow Kingdom Keeper, Willa. He is the last person to have contact with Wayne before his disappearance.

Trivia and Mistakes

Though Philby may get some of the best grades, he isn't the only smart one out of the DHIs. Most of the other Kingdom Keepers have a high level of intelligence as well. Willa (Isabella Angelo) is smart on her feet, Finn's (Finn Whitman) intellectual strength is planning and quick thinking, and Maybeck (Terry Maybeck) can also solve problems and situations as well, when he takes the time to think his plans through. Charlie (Charlene Turner), although more quiet and timid, has proven she too can come up with plans that may seem impossible, but able to succeed.

Sources and References

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