John Profumo, 91; Prominent Politician’s Affair With a Call Girl Scandalized Britain

Wealthy, handsome and married to a film star, John Profumo was near the top of Britain’s social and political stratum in the early 1960s. As the country’s war minister, Profumo was prominently mentioned as a future Conservative Party prime minister. Many believed the top post was his for the taking.

But after 1963, his surname seldom appeared in print without the word “scandal” appearing after it. Such words as “tawdry” and “squalid” were often used in the sentence as well.

Profumo, who resigned in disgrace for lying about his affair with call girl Christine Keeler, died Thursday night at a hospital in London. He was 91. Profumo was admitted earlier in the week after suffering a stroke.

Coming at the height of the Cold War, the scandal raised concerns that Profumo may have compromised national security after it was revealed that Keeler had also been seeing Yevgeny Ivanov, a Soviet military intelligence officer. Within months, Prime Minister Harold Macmillan resigned from office for what were said to be health reasons. And his Conservative Party went down to defeat in the next election.

What became the gold standard for sex scandals began in July 1961, when Profumo met Keeler at a weekend party at a country estate in Berkshire. British papers Friday noted that Profumo had spotted Keeler swimming naked in the pool at the estate. Nineteen years old, and by most accounts beautiful, she was apparently hard to miss.

Profumo, then 46, was introduced to her by Stephen Ward, an osteopath and socialite. Phone numbers were exchanged and a relationship began, with liaisons at Ward’s home. Ward, who had known Keeler since her early teens, had also introduced her to Ivanov.

By 1963 London was a swinging city, and rumors of sexual impropriety among the wealthy and powerful were rampant in the British press. Profumo’s name surfaced in March of that year, and he went before the House of Commons to deny any wrongdoing in his relationship with Keeler.

But his story didn’t hold up to scrutiny. British newspapers had obtained copies of love letters Profumo sent to Keeler and published one. In early June, he admitted he had lied and resigned in disgrace from the Cabinet as well as Parliament.

The uproar over the scandal was unprecedented in modern British times. Shunned by friends and former colleagues, Profumo retreated from public life. His wife, actress Valerie Hobson, best known for her role in “Kind Hearts and Coronets,” stood staunchly by his side.

In the aftermath, Ward was charged and convicted of living off the immoral earnings of Keeler and her friend, Mandy Rice-Davies. He killed himself with a drug overdose after the verdicts.

Ivanov had been recalled to Moscow months before the scandal broke. He died in 1994.

Keeler served prison time for perjury on a matter not directly related to the affair with Profumo.

An official British inquiry into concerns raised by the scandal found that Profumo had done nothing in his affair with Keeler to compromise national security.

Profumo spent the rest of his life trying to redeem himself. Months after his resignation he showed up at Toynbee Hall, a struggling charity in London’s East End, and began a second career as a volunteer working with drug addicts, alcoholics and the poor. He used many of his old contacts and his business skills to raise money for the charity’s programs. He was active at the facility, doing whatever was needed, including washing dishes

In 1975, Queen Elizabeth II made him a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his charitable work. In 2003, a complex at Toynbee Hall was opened and named Profumo House in his honor.

But for much of the 43 years since the scandal, friends said Profumo felt an element of shame. In 1989, that shame was heightened again with the release of the film “Scandal,” starring Ian McKellan as Profumo and Joanne Whalley-Kilmer as Keeler.

Born Jan. 30, 1915, Profumo was educated at Oxford’s Brasenose College, earning a degree in agriculture and political economy. He was first elected to Parliament in 1940, when he was 25. He served in North Africa during World War II and was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his service. He was elected to Parliament again in 1950.

His wife died in 1998. Survivors include a son, David.

Profumo gave very few interviews over the years and never spoke of his relationship with Keeler, but at the opening of Profumo House he told a reporter: “If you define wealth by monetary terms, there’s no hope for the future. It’s only when you realize what you have to give that you become a real person.”