Mandy Rice-Davies was a central figure in the 1960s Profumo affair. Along with her flatmate Christine Keeler, the scandal brought Harold Macmillan’s government to the edge. It was the story that kickstarted the Swinging Sixties.
John Profumo was the War Minister. He’d been having an affair with Keeler who was also said to be having a relationship with Soviet defence attache Yevgeny Ivanov.
Rice-Davies testified at the high-profile trial of Stephen Ward, an osteopath who was charged with living off the immoral earnings of her and Keeler,. The pot boiled with tales of sex and secrets in the upper echelons of society. Ward was guilty. But he never served a prison sentence. He took an overdose the night before a guilty verdict, and died days later.
Rice-Davies was famous. And she’d became notorious for claiming to have had an affair with Lord Astor. He denied it. Stood in the witness box during the trial at the Old Bailey, she called the noble Lord a liar.
When told he had denied the affair, she replied: “Well he would, wouldn’t he?”
She later added:
“Me? Excuse me? What was Bill [Lord Astor] doing? I didn’t seduce Bill. I didn’t even flutter an eyelash at him. I wasn’t a temptress. He seduced me. In those days women did not leap upon men… The only reason I still want to talk about it is that I have to fight the misconception that I was a prostitute. I don’t want that to be passed on to my grandchildren. There is still a stigma.”
She always said she had no secrets to take to the grave.
Police escort Mandy Rice-Davies a witness in the trial of vice charges of Osteopath Dr. Stephen Ward, to a car in London on July 22, 1963, after the first day of ward?s trial. The trial, which is being held at the Old Bailey Central Criminal Court, would last a fortnight. (AP Photo)
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Christine Keeler, right, and Marylin ( Mandy ) Rice-Davies, left, two of the principal witnesses in the vice charges case against osteopath Dr. Stephen Ward, share a car as they drive through London, today, July 22, 1963, after attending the first day of Ward’s trial.
Mandy Rice-Davies and John Andrew Hamilton Marshall at a preview of a portrait exhibition by artist and osteopath Dr Stephen Ward – who became a central figure in the Profumo Affair. Mr Marshall was treated as a hostile witness after a dispute over evidence during Dr Ward’s hearing.
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Date: 22/07/1963
Christine Keeler, right, and Mandy Rice-Davies leaving the Old Bailey after the conclusion of the fist day’s hearing of the trial at the Old Bailey in which Dr. Stephen Ward, 50 year old osteopath faces vice charges.
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Date: 22/07/1963
PA NEWS PHOTO 22/7/63 : CHRISTINE KEELER AND MARILYN RICE-DAVIES DRIVING AWAY FROM THE OLD BAILEY, LONDON AFTER THE FIRST DAY’S HEARING IN WHICH DR. STEPHEN WARD THE 50 YEAR OLD OSTEOPATH FACES VICE CHARGES. DURING THE HEARING MR. MERVYN GRIFFITH JONES, PROSECUTING GAVE AN UNDERTAKING THAT NO ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN AGAINST HER
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Christine Keeler, right, and Mandy Rice-Davies sit in cab leaving Old Bailey Court in London on July 22, 1963. Part of crowd gathered around cab is reflected in windows. Girls are among prosecution witnesses in the trial of Dr. Stephen Ward. Jury trial opened on July 22 for the doctor who is charged on five counts of living off the earnings of prostitutes. (AP Photo)
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Miss Rice-Davies, who earlier had given evidence at the Old Bailey trial in which Dr. Stephen Ward, the 50-year-old osteopath faces vice charges.
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Date: 23/07/1963
Rice-Davies, wearing a floral petal hat, pictured in London on July 23, 1963, after giving evidence during the second day?s hearing of the trial on vice charges of osteopath Dr. Stephen Ward, 50.
Rice-Davies, who was attending the trial of Dr Stephen Ward at the Old Bailey in London
Mandy Rice-Davies, 18-year-old prosecution witness in the vice trial of Dr. Stephen Ward in London, sticks out her tongue in apparent appraisal of decorative chandelier at an opening night party for film ?Cleopatra,? on July 31, 1963, Mandy, her hair piled high gave cameramen the same treatment. Three guests at the part walked out when they found themselves seated at Mandy?s table. (AP Photo)
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Date: 31/07/1963
ice-Davies, British playgirl, performs in a Munich, Germany, night club on Jan. 8, 1964. Mandy was the roommate of call girl Christine Keeler and one of the principals in the John Profumo sex and security scandal. (AP Photo)
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Date: 08/01/1964
(L-R) Mandy Rice-Davies leaves Rome airport with her friend Pierre Cervello for a holiday in Spain
Mandy Rice-Davies is now a professional singer and caberet artist
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Date: 28/07/1964
In this Jan. 7, 1964 file photo, Mandy Rice-Davies waves goodbye at London Airport as she leaves for Munich for a singing engagement.
Rice-Davies, former party girl involved in the John Profumo scandal which shook British politics seven years ago, poses during news conference in New York on Thursday, Dec. 17, 1970. She said Americans have unfairly tarnished her image and the American mail ?makes far too much of sex?. Miss Rice-Davies said she is ?happily? married and living in Israel. (AP Photo)
Mandy Rice Davies, 21, a prominent figure in the Profumo sex and politics scandal that rocked Britain in 1963, leaves the Marylebone Register Office in London on Sept. 17, 1966, following her marriage to 26 year old Rafael Shaul, an Israeli airline steward. Mandy is cabaret performer at the present time. She met her husband while singing at an Israeli Night Club. (AP Photo)
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Ref #: PA.21775827
Date: 19/12/2014
Mandy Rice-Davies and Lord Lloyd-Webber listen to Lord Hutchinson QC (left) at the launch in central London of Geoffrey Robertson QC’s book which demonstrates the innocence of society osteopath Stephen Ward, who committed suicide after he was put on trial following the Profumo scandal in the 1960s.
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Date: 19/12/2014
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Date: 19/12/2014
File photo dated 22/07/63 of Christine Keeler, right, and Mandy Rice-Davies, both key figures in the Profumo affair. Ms Rice-Davies has died.
Issue date: Friday December 19, 2014. See PA story DEATH RiceDavies. Photo credit should read: PA/PA Wire
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File photo 02/12/13 of Mandy Rice-Davies
File photo dated 06/11/80 of Mandy Rice-Davies
File photo dated 01/07/63 of Mandy Rice-Davies
File photo 19/07/63 of Denis Pitts interviewing Mandy Rice-Davies
File photo 29/06/63 of Mandy Rice-Davies
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