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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Sheron Boyle

Christine Keeler's family hope for royal pardon as Profumo girl case reviewed

The family of Christine Keeler – shamed by the Profumo spy affair – are a step closer to clearing her name.

The Criminal Cases Review Commission has said it will look at her perjury conviction. If successful, it then goes to the Court of Appeal.

Christine’s son Seymour Platt, 49, is also pushing for a royal pardon.

The business analyst, from Long ford, Ireland, said: “Mum was a victim of abuse and the legal system. I want to restore her to the innocent woman she always was.”

Christine, then 19, had a fling in 1961 with married Secretary of State for War John Profumo – while also seeing a Russian spy.

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Christine was convicted of perjury and received a nine month jail sentence (Getty Images)

It caused uproar and Profumo quit. Christine was later attacked by singer Lucky Gordon in front of a woman and two men.

He was convicted but Christine lied in court about the men being there after they allegedly put pressure on her.

When Gordon launched a successful appeal and the men admitted they had been present, Christine admitted perjury and was jailed for nine months.

PM Harold Wilson branded her a harlot and she was publicly labelled a prostitute and a slut.

In 1963 John Profumo was forced to resign as Secretary of State for War over his affair with Christine Keeler (Getty Images)

Christine died in 2017, urging Seymour in her will to clear her name.

He said: “Mum was an example of the MeToo campaign way before many of these women were born.”

Prof Felicity Gerry QC, heading the legal team, said: “She should never have been prosecuted. Christine was simply the poster girl for slut-shaming.”

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