An American airline executive was the mystery man involved in a salacious, extramarital affair that rocked proper British circles five decade ago.
The divorce of socialite Margaret Campbell — known as the Duchess of Argyll — from her husband shocked prim-and-proper Great Britain in 1963 when pictures emerged in court of her performing sex acts on an unidentified man, whose head was cut out of the image.
That mystery man was William “Bill” Lyons, then the sales director of Pan American World Airways, according to the duchess’ daughter-in-law.
“For 50 years it has been safely, maybe too safely, kept – for in keeping it, we have also perpetuated the mystery, and in so doing we have done Margaret’s reputation no favors,” Lady Colin Campbell wrote in a first-person piece for The Daily Mail.
Campbell said is was the Duchess of Argyll herself who told her the mystery lover was Lyons.
“He [Lyons] was sophisticated, debonair, dapper, well-bred, charming and handsome,” according to Campbell. “Like her first husband Charlie, he was sexy and great fun. He was reliable and astute.”
She added: “To those of us who were close to her it was hardly a surprise. Bill was her lover, after all.”
The Duchess of Argyll died in 1993 at the age of 80.