Unknown photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
One of Maggie’s blue eyed boys. Yet again another sex scandal. Cecil was a cad. He was the Tory MP for Hertsmere from 1979 to 1992, then they gave him the ermine and he moved next door to the other place. He held all manner of Secretary of State jobs but it was Sarah Keays wot dun for him.
Sara Keays was his personal secretary with whom he had a very close relationship. It was so close it resulted in a daughter named Flora whom he refused to meet or acknowledge. However it seems he did pay maintenance after an unseemly squabble much to the delight of the gutter press (that is most of them). In 2017 Sara was preparing to sue Cecil’s estate because payments had stopped with his death in 2016.
Tragically Cecil’s daughter, Mary, took her own life after her father’s death.
In 1983 after the landslide election victory, Maggie was considering appointing him Foreign Secretary but he told her of his personal secretary’s pregnancy indicating it would not be a good idea. Maggie’s said such things had never held Anthony Eden (another swordsman) back but eventually appointed him to the Trade and Industry job instead.
The press and even some Tories had a field day with the story and poor old Cecil was the butt of many a joke. Even Eggwina Currie, herself in the middle of cavorting with John Major, put in her two penneth in favour of Cecil referring to Sara as a right cow. The Tories in those days were not tolerant and touchy feely, what a contrast with today. Cecil of course had to resign his ministerial duties.
Sadly Flora herself had learning difficulties and Aspergers along with a cancer tumour when she was four years old. The poor child did not have a very good life. Following his death in 2016 Cecil’s will left nothing for his daughter Flora. It is indeed a tragic tale all round. As I remember from my days at News International, many in the press had personal lives that would not stand up to scrutiny but they enjoyed taking it out on everyone else. Bloody reptiles indeed.
© well_chuffed 2026
