Christine Keeler
1942-2017
In an era where the evening news seems to be dominated by one scandal after another involving the sexual escapades of those in high places, the news of the death in England last week of Christine Keeler, 75, reminds us that there is nothing new under the sun.
Back in 1962, the news that "model and party girl" Christine Keeler was involved with a minister in the British Cabinet, John Profumo, the War Minster, no less, dominated the headlines, led to Profumo's resignation, and eventually toppled the British government. It seems that while Miss Keeler was cavorting with Profumo she was also carrying on with a Soviet spy. Was Keeler passing on pillow talk from one of the guys to the other? No wonder the government toppled.
I highly recommend that you read the obit for Miss Keeler that appeared in the Washington Post last week for this particular history lesson, if only to appreciate the writing of reporter Matt Schudel who describes the initial meeting of Keeler and Profumo thusly:
He and Ms. Keeler met in 1961, when she was taking a dip in a swimming pool at the estate of a British lord. He was 46, married and wearing a dinner jacket; she was 19, free-spirited and wearing a smile.
Here is a link to the complete obituary:
As you will read, Keeler continued her "life-style" but eventually suffered for it, as her obit concludes....
In her later years, Ms. Keeler lived in poverty. She adopted the name of C.M. Sloane as she struggled to find work in advertising, in a school cafeteria and as a receptionist.
“I mean, it’s been a misery for me, living with Christine Keeler,” she told Britain’s Observer newspaper in 2001. “Even a criminal has the right to a new life, but they made sure I did not have that. They just didn’t stop calling me a prostitute for ever and ever and ever and ever. How can anyone live with that? I took on the sins of everybody, of a generation, really.”
I was ten years old in the summer of 1962 when this story was in the news. I remember it, but at the time I had no idea of what was euphemistically being referred to as a "party girl" was. They were simpler times. At least they were for me.
RIP Christine Keeler
This photo of Christine Keeler was taken during a modeling session
during the height of the "Profumo Scandal". It became famous
throughout England and followed Keeler for the rest of her life.
No comments:
Post a Comment