Prince Harry’s much‑anticipated memoir Spare has hit the shelves, and true to royal honey‑dripping expectations, it’s flying off the racks. The book promises a candid look at how the Crown’s expectations shaped his life, his stints in the armed forces, and the highly publicized departure from royalty alongside his outspoken American spouse. In this roundup of 10 times members have decided to spill the beans on the secret societies they once called home, the revelations are as juicy as a royal gossip column.

10 Times Members Reveal Hidden Truths

10 John Robison—Freemasons

John Robison was a heavyweight in Britain’s scientific circles—a professor at Edinburgh, an authority on optics and mathematics, and a respected voice in the Royal Society. In the late 1700s he penned the incendiary volume Proofs of a Conspiracy against all the Religions and Governments of Europe, a treatise that peeled back the curtain on the Freemasons and, most famously, the shadowy Illuminati cell that has haunted conspiracy lore ever since. As a Mason himself, Robison could draw on insider knowledge, and his book sold out on release, spawning countless re‑prints.

From his Scottish perch he watched the French monarchy tumble, the church’s power crumble, and the entire Revolution erupt. He blamed the chaos squarely on Masonic influence, arguing that the revolutionaries were nothing more than pawns in a grand, secretive game orchestrated by the Freemasons.

9 Ed Decker—Mormon Church

Born in 1935, Ed Decker grew up inside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑Day Saints before branching out to become a leading voice for ex‑Mormons with the group Saints Alive in Jesus. Teaming up with Dave Hunt, Decker co‑authored the controversial book The God Makers, which pulled back the veil on the inner workings of the LDS Church, exposing doctrines and practices that many outsiders never imagined.

His disaffection deepened after encountering other critics of Mormonism, leading him to reject the claim that Joseph Smith was divinely commissioned to restore pure Christianity, and to publicly challenge the church’s foundational narratives.

8 Stetson Kennedy—KKK

Stetson Kennedy, a Depression‑era writer, turned his investigative talents toward the Ku Klux Klan. In 1954 his groundbreaking book The Klan Unmasked revealed the organization’s secret handshakes, passwords, folklore, and the absurdity of their white‑sheet garb. He collected evidence straight from the grand dragon himself, handing it over to the IRS, which secured a $685,000 tax lien against the Klan.

Kennedy’s work also helped draft a legal brief that led Georgia to revoke the Klan’s corporate charter, and he testified in numerous related cases before his death at 94, having spent a lifetime dismantling the terror group’s mystique.

7 Heinrich Himmler—Nazis

Heinrich Himmler, the chief architect of the Holocaust and Hitler’s right‑hand, kept a painstaking diary that survived the war’s ruin. Compiled by his assistant and uncovered in 2013, the journals span over a thousand pages, chronicling daily life, the execution of dissenting Polish officers, and the chilling logistics of the Final Solution, including orders to arm Auschwitz guards with vicious dogs.

While the diaries are stark and personal rather than reflective, they provide an unsettling window into the mind of one of history’s most monstrous figures, documenting the bureaucratic efficiency behind genocide.

6 Jeannie Mills—People’s Temple

Jeannie Mills, alongside her husband Al and their two children, fled the People’s Temple in 1974 after serving as the church’s publication chief (Deanna) and official photographer (Elmer). After leaving, they founded the Human Freedom Center, a sanctuary for defectors, and became vocal critics of Jim Jones’ cult, especially after the Jonestown tragedy.

In February 1980 the Mills family was brutally murdered in Berkeley, sparking rumors of a death‑squad retaliation from former Temple members. Later investigations suggested their son Eddie might have been involved, dampening the theory of a secretive cult‑run execution squad.

5 Leah Remini—Scientology

Leah Remini, best known for her role on The King of Queens, was raised in Scientology from age eight when her mother converted. Her eventual departure was prompted by concerns for her nine‑year‑old daughter, and shortly after she filed a missing‑person report for Scientology leader David Miscavige’s wife, Shelly, who vanished in 2007.

Since leaving, Remini has become a fierce opponent of the church, producing the investigative series Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, and actively supporting legal actions against the organization.

4 India and Catherine Oxenberg—NXIVM

Catherine Oxenberg and her daughter India enrolled in NXIVM’s “entrepreneurial” workshops, only to discover a hidden secret society within the group that tore mother and daughter apart. After seven harrowing years, both escaped the sex‑cult’s grip, and Catherine chronicled the ordeal in a memoir detailing her desperate rescue attempts.

India eventually recognized the manipulation, and the cult’s founder Keith Raniere was convicted of racketeering, sex trafficking, and possession of child pornography, sealing the organization’s downfall.

3 Janja Lalich—Democratic Workers Party

The Democratic Workers Party (DWP) emerged in the 1970s as a radical, women‑led Marxist‑Leninist experiment in the United States, championing a strict sectarian approach. Though it dissolved in 1985, its cult‑like adherence to a primitive Leninist doctrine left a lasting imprint.

Former member Janja Lalich endured extreme control: forced name changes, the burning of personal belongings, income restrictions, and isolation from family. After escaping, she became a noted sociologist and author, exposing how such groups recruit and coerce members in works that illuminate the mechanics of cult dynamics.

2 Joe Valachi—The Mafia (aka Cosa Nostra)

Joe Valachi, an American mobster who rose to the rank of sergeant within Lucky Luciano’s Mafia family, turned informant in 1962 after a death threat from Vito Genovese drove him to murder a fellow inmate in a paranoid frenzy. He then spilled the Mafia’s secrets to the Bureau of Narcotics, the FBI, the DOJ, and even the U.S. Senate.

Valachi’s testimony became one of the most influential inside looks on organized crime, earning him a $100,000 bounty on his head, a protective program, and a tragic end when a heart attack finally claimed his life.

1 Carlos Lehder—Medellín Drug Cartel

Carlos Lehder began his criminal career smuggling stolen cars into Canada and the U.S. East Coast, which led him into the orbit of the Medellín cartel. He soon orchestrated massive cocaine shipments, persuading George Jung to use aircraft for transport, and rose to a senior position before falling out with Pablo Escobar.

Arrested and sentenced to life, Lehder’s term was later reduced when he agreed to testify against former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega, whose regime had facilitated cartel shipments. After serving a reduced sentence, he entered witness protection, was deported to Germany, and retained his German citizenship.

When you think of espionage, you probably picture sleek watches and laser pens, but the reality is far stranger. The top 10 secretive devices listed here prove that actual spycraft can be wildly inventive, bizarre, and occasionally a little gross. Buckle up for a tour through the most outlandish pieces of kit ever handed to an operative.

Top 10 Secretive Spy Kit

10 Pipe Radio

Smoking may be a health hazard, yet mid‑century CIA agents discovered a pipe that could double as a covert communications device. Concealed within the stem was a miniature radio receiver capable of picking up encrypted transmissions and funneling them straight to the operative.

The trick relied on bone conduction: the spy would clench the pipe between his teeth, allowing vibrations to travel through the skull directly to the inner ear. No external speaker meant nobody nearby could overhear the secret broadcast.

The agency’s public museum catalog omits whether the pipe still functions as a tobacco pipe, so it’s probably safest not to share this contraption with anyone who enjoys a smoke.

9 Dead Rat

Encounter a dead rat and you might cringe, but during the Cold War the CIA turned that revulsion into a literal dead‑drop. Real rats were hollowed out, fitted with a Velcro pouch, and used to ferry messages and cash between operatives.

The gruesome choice was intentional: humans instinctively avoid handling a corpse, making the device an effective barrier against casual discovery. The interior cavity could hold surprisingly large amounts of microfilm or cash.

To deter scavenging animals, agents reportedly doused the rats in Tabasco sauce. The heat would discourage any critter from nibbling, while still allowing the intended human recipient to retrieve the payload.

8 Rectal Tool Kit

Espionage isn’t all tuxedos and martinis; sometimes a field operative must think… creatively. The CIA’s rectal tool kit was a compact, shatter‑proof case designed to be concealed in an unexpected location: the anal cavity.

When needed, the kit could be opened to reveal an assortment of miniature knives, drills, and lock picks—everything required for a quick escape from a locked or otherwise precarious situation.

This marvel of miniaturisation showcases the lengths agencies will go to hide equipment. Rumor has it the British MI5 drafted a similarly cheeky version, jokingly rebranding their motto to “Rectum Defende.”

7 Dog Poop Transmitter

Building on the dead‑rat concept, U.S. forces during the Vietnam War deployed devices masquerading as canine droppings—dubbed “Dog Doo Transmitters.” Shaped like a medium‑sized dog’s stool, the T‑1151 housed a detector that sent location data back to American command.

Strategically scattering these faux feces along the Ho Chi Minh Trail let U.S. troops monitor enemy supply movements. Variants mimicked local wildlife droppings, serving as homing beacons or even Morse‑code relays when retrieved by an agent.

This open‑concealment approach turned something most people avoid into a useful piece of surveillance gear, proving that even the most unsavory objects can have a covert purpose.

6 Hollow Coins

Everyday objects make perfect spy tools, and few are as ubiquitous as coins. In the early 1950s, a newspaper boy named Jimmy unwittingly collected a hollowed‑out nickel that concealed a tiny photograph.

The coin’s face featured a minuscule drilled hole, allowing the hidden compartment to be opened with a needle. When the nickel split open, the secret micro‑photo fell out, exposing a covert communication method.

FBI analysts later linked a second similar coin to a Soviet espionage ring, leading to arrests that dismantled the network. This case highlights how ordinary currency can become an unexpected conduit for intelligence.

5 Pipe Dagger

British operatives of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) weren’t shy about weaponising everyday items. One such creation was a seemingly ordinary smoking pipe that could be twisted open to reveal a lethal steel blade.

In a pinch, an agent could employ the hidden dagger for close‑quarters combat, turning a casual puff into a deadly surprise. The SOE also produced pipe variants that concealed miniature firearms, showcasing their penchant for concealed weaponry.

These “offensive pipes” blended the mundane with the murderous, giving field agents a discreet means of defense without arousing suspicion.

4 Spy Basket

During World War I, German Zeppelins served as airborne observation platforms, but their slow speed and flammable gas made them vulnerable. To mitigate this, crews lowered a small “spy basket” beneath the craft on a metal cable.

The basket, essentially a wicker chair suspended from the Zeppelin, allowed an observer to peer below the cloud cover and relay target information back up to the airship.

Ground troops could hear the Zeppelin’s engines but couldn’t pinpoint its location, and the basket’s diminutive size made it virtually invisible from the ground, granting a covert aerial viewpoint.

3 Glasses With Cyanide Pill

Hollywood loves the dramatic “suicide pill” trope, but the CIA actually produced a pair of spectacles with a concealed cyanide capsule hidden in the temple arms.

An agent could feign deep contemplation while subtly biting the capsule, ensuring a swift, self‑inflicted death to avoid capture. This method offered a discreet exit strategy without the need for a fake tooth.

One real‑world example involved Soviet‑American double‑agent Alexander Dmitrievich Ogorodnik (codename Trigon). When faced with imminent interrogation, he requested a pen with a hidden cyanide pill, bit it, and died before he could be questioned.

2 Insectothopter

The CIA’s 1970s “Insectothopter” was an ambitious attempt to mimic a dragonfly for covert aerial surveillance. In ideal conditions, the tiny UAV could travel 200 metres in about a minute.

Unfortunately, the device proved overly sensitive to wind; a light breeze could easily send it off course. Though it was intended to be guided via laser beams, the propulsion system’s limitations prevented field deployment.

While the original program was abandoned, advances in micro‑technology suggest that modern “bug‑like” drones may eventually achieve the original vision of an indistinguishable insect spy.

1 False Scrotum

When a male operative needed a quick radio link, the CIA devised a faux scrotum capable of housing a miniature escape radio. Crafted from realistic‑looking rubber, complete with wispy hairs, the device could be worn discreetly.Even if subjected to a strip‑search, the false scrotum’s natural texture and anatomy would likely escape notice, allowing the spy to stay in contact with handlers under duress.

Although never widely adopted—at least according to official statements—the concept underscores the lengths intelligence agencies will go to conceal communication gear in plain sight.