The Profumo Affair: Prince Philip’s Connection to 1960s British Sex Scandal

It would not be surprising if someone said that royal families have their share of deep, dark secrets. Many would just accept it as part of the reality, and according to some reports, this may very well be the case. The British Royal Family, long the subject of scandal, has recently faced rumors of a new sex scandal involving Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. Following the infamous Prince Andrew and Epstein scandal, these new allegations have emerged, casting a shadow over the Duke’s reputation.

The Mail on Sunday reported that a top-secret FBI document linked Prince Philip to one of Britain’s most infamous sex scandals, the Profumo Affair. The FBI report suggests that the Duke was “personally involved” with Christine Keeler and Mandy Rice-Davis, two women who are at the center of this scandal. According to allegations, these women found younger women for these politicians. This scandal also generated severe national security issues, for Keeler was said to have had an affair with the Russian military attaché, Yevgeny Ivanov.

A Scandal That Rocked the Nation

Though it has been over 60 years since the Profumo Affair, this still remains one of the most obscure and debated moments in the history of royalty. The scandal began in 1963 when a cable was sent to the US Embassy in London, where the bureau’s autocratic director J Edgar Hoover explained to the press that Prince Philip, himself, had connections with both ladies at the center of this scandal. The FBI was finally releasing these details a half-century later, creating even more mystery over how much the Duke was aware and involved.

Who Was John Profumo?

Key person of the scandal was John Profumo who was then the Secretary of State for War. The man being married, his alleged connection with Keeler, which is a famous model now revealed that Keeler indeed arranged encounters of influential people with her which included, among others the most infamous osteopath Stephen Ward. Now Stephen Ward has been closely related to such powerful individuals, and some associate him to an American adventurer-part time spy Thomas Corbally as well.

Prince Philip’s Ties to the Scandal

The Duke of Edinburgh has ties to the scandal as a result of his connections to Stephen Ward, whom it is alleged had brought women to political leaders for the purpose of sex. He was said to have been at some of the parties attended by the Duke. A scene in The Crown shows a man at one of Ward’s gatherings, his back to the camera, which has sparked speculation about whether the man in question was, in fact, Prince Philip.

The Thursday Club

It is unclear how closely the Duke and Ward were connected, but rumors suggest that they may have met at the Thursday Club, a men-only dining and drinking establishment known for its scandalous activities. The Thursday Club was, according to Miles Kingston in a 1996 Independent article, a “gang of cronies” who enjoyed the more carefree side of life, far removed from the serious responsibilities of the royal household. It was founded by the Duke and Lieutenant Commander Michael Parke.

As more and more of these revelations come to light, the legacy of the Profumo Affair remains one of the most fascinating and scandalous chapters in British monarchy history.