Mandy Rice-Davies

As a showgirl and topless hostess at 'Murray's Cabaret Club', Mandy Rice-Davies was friends with Christine Keeler and was recruited to be one of 'Ward's Girls' by Stephen Ward. She was a particular favourite with Ward and became his live-in lover at his London flat.

When Keeler left her lover John Edgecombe and fled to Ward's flat, Rice-Davies was there. Frustrated at not being allowed to get in Edgecombe tried to break in the door, finally resorting to firing several shots at the lock. Keeler tried to reason with him from an upstairs window but he inadvertently fired the gun at her. Keeler thought he was trying to kill her and called the police. Edgecombe was arrested.

This was a godsend for the Labour Opposition who could now get Keeler and Rice-Davies into court to testify under oath and reveal the sordid goings on with Profumo the War Minister.

Keeler fled abroad to Spain. Edgecombe was imprisoned for seven years which suited the Conservatives, but the cat was out of the bag. The press went to town running stories by Keeler, Ward and Rice-Davies.

Mandy Rice-Davies is probably best remembered for her famous quote. At the trial of Stephen Ward, on being told that Lord Astor claimed that her allegations concerning himself and his house parties at 'Cliveden' were untrue she responded: "He would, wouldn't he"?