Geoffrey Watkins appears in Patriot Games. He is the liaison between the British Foreign Office and the Royal family. He also spies for the Ulster Liberation Army (ULA). When the ULA is destroyed, Watkins commits suicide by blowing his brains out.
Biography
Geoffrey Watkins background is not much discussed, but it is revealed that he went to college at Winchester. Later he served in Belfast as a subaltern in 1969. He lost four men from his platoon during his time there, which led him to believe that England was doing the wrong thing in the wrong place, and losing men in the process. It is probable that this is where he met Dennis Cooley, who introduced him to Kevin O'Donnell.
Watkins eventually became the liason between the British Foreign Office and the Royal Family, gaining him access to some of the most closely-guarded secrets. Only O'Donnell, Sean Miller, and Cooley know of his allegiance to their cause. He provided the information for the attack on the Prince of Wales and his family.
Patriot Games
Novel
Ryan is introduced to Watkins just before dinner at Buckingham Palace. Ryan soon decides he dislikes him, due to his habit of provoking people to see how they will react.
It is revealed shortly later that Watkins is the mole providing highly classified information to the ULA, via Cooley's book shop. He provides the intel that allows the ULA to rescue Miller from the prison transport. This leads the Scotland Yard to watch him, as one of the few people who knew both of the Prince of Wale's trip and of Sean Miller's transfer. When he later also sends along the royal family's itinerary for their summer trip to America, Scotland Yard notices. David Ashley soon learns that Cooley takes frequent trips to Ireland, which causes him and James Owens to suspect Watkins almost exclusively.
When Cooley learns his office is being bugged, Watkins receives a warning that their pipeline has been compromised, and that it is not known whether he is revealed. When O'Donnell and Miller are captured in America, he commits suicide in his office, even though Owens comments that they didn't have a scrap of usable evidence against him.
Film
Watkins role in the film is almost the same, but there are some differences, in the film Watkins informs Holmes, that Ryan wants to invite Holmes to attend Sally's recovery at his house. When they arrived at Ryan's House, he presents Sally the medal for her recovery. Awaiting O'Donnell and his group to arrived, he tricks the head of the security that someone was in the Basement. When the Chief went down, Watkins took out his silent Gun and killed the Man. He went down the Basement and turn off the power, when Ryan and Robbie quickly noticed what was about to happen, he shows up acting innocent.
Ryan quickly realized he was working for the ULA, Ryan and Robbie attack him in the basement, find the Guard dead and that he turn off the Power. Ryan interrogated him demanding how many were coming, though Watkins claims he doesn't know what he was talking about, Ryan took his Gun and shot him in the Knee, he said only five, six or many more. Robbie kept an eye on him as Holmes and the rest of the guest into the basement to hide, they tied up Watkins and kept quiet. After Ryan and his family showed up, Ryan demanded to know how was he gone to escape, Watkins said Boats in the water. He called out to Kevin out loud, but Holmes knock him out.
After Ryan and the others leave Watkins in the basement, Miller fires his gun and accidentally shot him as he mistook for someone else. O'Donnell and Annette came upon his body and O'Donnell called out Miller for killing him.
Character
Watkins is described as being an inch shorter than Jack Ryan, with black hair that is turning grey. He is nearly forty, has pale skin, and blue eyes. Ryan notes that he looks like a diplomat and has a smile "so perfect that he must have practiced it in front of a mirror. It was the sort of smile that could have meant anything. Or more likely, nothing."
We are told that "Watkins loved games. All sorts." He collects books and plays tennis. Though modest and retiring, he is sharp and intelligent, noting that Ryan is talking with the head of the SIS at the dinner. He tends to deliberately provoke people to gauge their reactions, which causes Ryan to dislike him shortly after meeting him.
Template:Characters/Patriot Games
Template:Characters/Patriot Games (Film)
