Leigh-Smith, Philip [P. Leigh Smith] (British, 1892–1968)

Philip Leigh-Smith—frequently catalogued as P. Leigh Smith—was a British diplomat, linguist, intelligence officer, and author. The son of the celebrated Arctic explorer Benjamin Leigh Smith, he served the Foreign Office in various international capitals, including Rome and Bern, and took part in British relief missions to Russia during the Bolshevik Revolution. Under the pseudonym Christopher Rover, he published acclaimed novels based on his diplomatic experiences, and later published the satirical comedy Ladies in Diplomacy (1965).