Profumo Affair turned on its head in new book by Twyford author

Twyford author Vanessa Holburn has written a new non-fiction book which takes a fresh look at one of the biggest political scandals in UK history.

The Profumo Affair, out in hardback later this month, is a 224-page turner that challenges previous assumptions held of the relationship between the 1961 secretary of state for War John Profumo and showgirl Christine Keeler.

Initially written as part of Pen and Sword Books’ ‘scandal’ series, this, Vanessa’s fifth book, repoints the story for today’s reader, unveiling Christine as an innocent victim, manipulated by men in power and ill-judged by an ignorant 1960s society.  

Vanessa spent a year researching and writing the book and said:

“On some level it’s the retelling of the basic story.

“I think it’s interesting to look at these things 60 years later. We all have a rose-tinted view of Christine Keeler and think that her life had been quite exciting.

“Films like Scandal starring Joanne Walley Kilmer, tend to portray her life as very glamorous and glossy but in reality she had a very harsh background and was coerced into relationships by these men. We know that now that we have a greater understanding of what that means.”

Christine and John met during the summer of 1961 at a party at Taplow’s Cliveden, which at the time belonged to the wealthy Astor family.

They later began an affair at the same time as Christine was rumoured to be dating London diplomat, and Russian spy, Yevgeny Ivanov. This lead to speculation that  ‘pillow talk’ between the UK and Russia was putting the nation’s security at risk.

When questioned in Parliament Profumo lied about his association with Keeler and lost his government position.

Prime Minister at the time, Harold Macmillan, later resigned and in 1964 Labour took power.

For decades young Christine was seen as the villain in the sordid saga, vilified by members of the public and the global press.

She was also later stalked by another man who became abusive and aggressive but Christine’s innocence wasn’t heard.

Vanessa hopes through this fresh retelling, combined with the campaign work of Christine’s son, Seymour Platt, that Christine’s character will finally be lifted into a positive light.

“She’s the kind of girl you might say who fell through the cracks,” Vanessa said of Christine’s upbringing in a poor, makeshift home in Wraysbury.

“She didn’t have an education, she didn’t, by all accounts, have a settled home life and she was outstandingly beautiful.

“That brought with it attention that could both be useful but it also meant that people saw that and nothing else and that overshadowed everything else because the roles women were allowed to play in the 1960s were very limited,” said Vanessa.

“Most 19 year olds today would want to do the same thing: have a flat, money; go on dates with several people but Christine was punished for that behaviour.

“She was very much vilified by the public and the press at the time. People even stood outside the courtroom and threw eggs at her.”

Vanessa’s book also explores how scandal ‘sticks’.

Following the Profumo affair a man called Lucky Gordon began stalking Christine but people saw him as a boyfriend.

When she later came to report an attack, Christine’s account wasn’t fully believed because of an issue with witnesses and she was sent in Holloway Prison for perjury.

“Christine considered Lucky more as an excessive stalker but as far as everyone else was concerned we didn’t have the language for ‘stalker’ or narcissistic behaviour and we certainly didn’t have help for people in that situation so she did what she could to protect herself.

“It’s great that we’ve got a language now that might express things that are emotionally abusive.”

What actually happened during the affair and subsequent years will never fully be realised until the government archives are unlocked in 2048.

“Until the government let the public read the sealed archives we’ll never know the truth,” said Vanessa.

“Hopefully today’s reader will see this story differently but at the same time ask if our establishment has changed at all - the way the police and politicians treat women. Women are still seen as hysterical [when reporting injustices].

“Hopefully we know enough now to name it, expose it and I think hopefully we are trying to change it.”

The Profumo Affair, Pen and Sword Books, £20, is out at the end of January.  

 www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-Profumo-Affair-Hardback/p/24483