Crossword Genius

Place spy outside English royal house (11)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

plantagenet

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'royal house' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'place spy outside english' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'place' could be 'plant' (planting is a kind of placing) and 'plant' is located in the answer.
'english' could be 'e' (abbreviation) and 'e' is located in the answer.
This may be the basis of clue (or it may be nonsense).

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for plantagenet that I've seen before include "royal dynasty" , "Former English royal family" , "9 [HOUSE]" , "Member of English royal house from Henry II to Richard III" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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