   christine margaret keeler (born 22 february 1942) is an english former model and showgirl. her sexual involvement with a british government minister discredited the conservative government of harold macmillan in 1963, in what became known as the profumo affair. ==biography== ===early years=== born in uxbridge, middlesex, keeler was brought up by her mother and stepfather in a house made from two converted railway carriages in the berkshire village of wraysbury. at the age of 15, she found work as a model at a dress shop in london's soho. at 17, she gave birth to a son after an affair with an american sergeant from the air force base at laleham. the child was born prematurely on 17 april 1959, and survived just six days.knightley and kennedy, pp. 53â54 that summer, keeler left wraysbury, staying briefly in slough with a friend before heading for london. she initially worked as a waitress at a restaurant in baker street and there met maureen oâconnor, a girl who worked at murrayâs cabaret club in soho. she introduced keeler to the owner, percy murray, who hired her almost immediately as a topless showgirl.knightley and kennedy, pp. 55â57 while at murray's she met stephen ward (19 october 1912 â 3 august 1963), an english osteopath and artist. his practice and his art brought considerable social success, and he made many important friends. soon the two were living together with the outward appearance of being a couple, but according to her, it was a platonic non-sexual relationship. ===profumo affair===  in july 1961, ward introduced keeler to john profumo, the secretary of state for war, at a pool party at cliveden, the buckinghamshire mansion owned by lord astor. profumo began a brief affair with keeler, which ended after he was warned by the security services of the possible dangers of mixing with the ward circle.irving, pp. 49â53 among ward's other friends, whom profumo briefly met, was the russian naval attachÃ© and gru officer, eugene ivanov. according to keeler, 
1942_births English_female_models English_perjurers Living_people People_from_Uxbridge Subjects_of_iconic_photographs