David Profumo

Who is David Profumo?

David John Profumo FRSL is an English novelist.

Profumo is the son of former British government minister John Profumo and actress Valerie Hobson. The Profumo family is of Italian origin. David Profumo would have succeeded his father as 6th Baron Profumo in the nobility of the Kingdom of Sardinia, if the nobility of Italy had not been legally abolished after WW2. In any case, like his father, he does not use his Italian title.

Profumo was educated at Eton College and Magdalen College, Oxford. He was Assistant Master of English at Eton College in 1978 and at the Royal School, Shrewsbury, from 1978 to 1979. He then became part-time lecturer of English at King's College London, from 1981 to 1983 and Deputy Editor of Fiction Magazine from 1982 to 1984. He was a columnist for the Daily Telegraph from 1987 to 1995.

Profumo was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1995

Profumo married Helen Fraser, daughter of Alasdair Fraser, on 22 March 1979 at St. Marylebone Church, Marylebone, London. His son and heir is Alexander James Profumo.

Profumo's book Bringing the House Down, covered the scandal brought about by his father's affair with Christine Keeler.