John Profumo its defeat by Labour at the 1964 election. Macmillan had already gone by then, having resigned in October 1963 to be succeeded by Alec Douglas-Home. Profumo maintained complete public silence about the matter for the rest of his life, even when the 1989 film "Scandal" - in which he was played by Ian McKellen - and the publication of Keeler's memoirs revived public interest in the affair. Profumo was portrayed by Daniel Flynn in Andrew Lloyd Webber's stage musical "Stephen Ward", which opened at the Aldwych Theatre on 19 December 2013. Shortly after his resignation, Profumo was invited to work
Profumo affair Nevertheless, his denials were accepted by the government's principal law officers and the Conservative Chief Whip, although with some private scepticism. Macmillan, mindful of the injustice done to Galbraith on the basis of rumours, was determined to support his minister, and took no action. Edgecombe's trial began on 14 March but Keeler, one of the Crown's key witnesses, was missing. She had, without informing the court, gone to Spain, although at this stage her whereabouts were unknown. Her unexplained absence caused a press sensation. Every newspaper knew the rumours linking Keeler with Profumo, but refrained from reporting any direct connection;