Put spy in place to ensnare English royal family (11)
I believe the answer is:
plantagenet
'royal family' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'put spy in place to ensnare' is the wordplay.
'put' becomes 'plant' (planting is a kind of putting).
'spy in place' becomes 'age' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'to ensnare' becomes 'net' (I've seen this before).
'plant'+'age'+'net'='PLANTAGENET'
'english' acts as a link.
I am not very happy about this link. It may be part of another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for plantagenet that I've seen before include "royal dynasty" , "Former English royal family" , "Member of English royal house from Henry II to Richard III" , "9 [HOUSE]" .)