The Profumo Affair, a Blog by Alan Ewing

THE PROFUMO AFFAIR

A Blog by Alan Ewing

In 1963, the Tory MacMillan government was rocked by the affair of John Profumo and his affair with Christine Keeler.  Though the real story lies in the challenge to the old order and the establishment towards the emerging promiscuous 1960s culture. There is also the hypocrisy of the then establishment and its condemnation of the new swinging, free-love era. What the old school were doing in private with sexual practice suddenly became more open with the new generation emerging.

Christine Keeler, an aspiring model, and Mandy Rice-Davies, an aspiring singer, were two young girls who found themselves caught up in the secret world of the then political order. Through their friendship with Dr Stephen Ward, a osteopath, they would find themselves introduced to high people of power. For the girls this was an adventure, a way of living the glamour life, with presents from the rich, and then being able to live comfortably off the earnings of Dr Ward, who adored them. For the rich political class it represented an easy way to have a sexual affair away from their wives and families.

The scandal of the Profumo/Keeler affair exposed the goings-on of the said political class. The response to this was the persecution of Dr Stephen Ward by the police under government instruction. The judiciary also became involved as Ward was accused of living off the earnings of the prostitution  of Christine Keeler and Mandy Rice-Davies. The trail was fixed in that Keeler and Rice-Davies, and others, were pressurized by the authorities to testify their activities in court. 

Based on hearsay, and trick inducements by the prosecution, Dr Ward was found guilty. This being in his absence as he had decided to end his life, not due to facing prison, rather through the loss of his reputation. In truth, he had been made a scapegoat by the government for the Profumo affair.  Christine Keeler and Mandy Rice-Davies were branded prostitutes, with Keeler being tried for perjury in cross-relation to another case.

The whole episode revealed the nature of absolute power and how it corrupts those who seek to hold on to it. Ward’s friends deserted him at the trial, while Profumo was allowed to disappear into the shadows. Though it is the hypocrisy of the establishment that came most to the fore, in its own sexual behaviour, and in its lack of judicial fairness, together with a lack if integrity by politicians interfering with police practices. Dr Stephen Ward and the girls were innocent of any legal wrongdoing. The old order decided differently. 

Link below to BBC I-Player "The Trial of Christine Keeler"

The Trial of Christine Keeler 

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