Stella Rimington, the first female chief of Britain's MI5 intelligence agency and later a successful thriller writer, has died, her family said Monday. She was 90.

The first woman to head a U.K. intelligence agency, Rimington was the inspiration for Judi Dench's portrayal of the spy chief M in seven James Bond films.

Her family said in a statement that Rimington died on Sunday "surrounded by her beloved family and dogs and determinedly held on to the life she loved until her last breath."

MI5's current director-general, Ken McCallum, said that "as the first avowed female head of any intelligence agency in the world, Dame Stella broke through long-standing barriers and was a visible example of the importance of diversity in leadership."

A rise through the ranks

Born in London in 1935,

See Full Page