M's house in "Skyfall" is whose former home?

M’s house in “Skyfall” was the former London home of composer John Barry. The location appears during the film’s tense sequence in which James Bond visits M’s residence after Silva’s attack and discovers that her security has been compromised.

Barry was one of the most important composers in the James Bond series. He composed or arranged music for 11 Bond films, including “Goldfinger,” “You Only Live Twice,” “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” and “The Living Daylights.” His association with the franchise made the use of his former home a subtle in-joke and tribute for Bond fans.

The property was a flat at Cadogan Square in Knightsbridge, London. “Skyfall,” released in 2012 and directed by Sam Mendes, used real London locations alongside constructed sets and other filming sites. The detail is easy to miss because the house is presented simply as M’s private residence, not identified on screen as Barry’s former home. Barry died in 2011, before the film’s release.