Andrew Lloyd Webber spoke glowingly of the “life enhancing” Mandy Rice-Davies and said he would have written his Profumo-inspired musical “five times over” just to have had the chance to meet her.

She was a key figure in the stage production Stephen Ward, which the musical impresario wrote about the scandal, and she was a red carpet guest at the official West End opening and world premiere exactly a year ago.

He said: “I am deeply sad to hear the news regarding Mandy. I would have written the musical Stephen Ward five times over just to have met this life enhancing woman.

 Andrew Lloyd Webber with actress Charlotte Blackledge (left) who played Mandy Rice-Davies (right) in the musical
Andrew Lloyd Webber with actress Charlotte Blackledge (left) who played Mandy Rice-Davies (right) in the musical (Sang Tan/AP)

“Mandy was enormously well-read and intelligent. I will always remember discussing with her over dinner subjects as varied as Thomas Cromwell’s dissolution of the monasteries and the influence of the artist Stanley Spencer on Lucian Freud.

“With a different throw of the dice, Mandy might have been head of the Royal Academy or even running the country. She became a dear friend and I will miss her.”

The Ward musical was short-lived and closed a little over three months after opening at London’s Aldwych Theatre.

Rice-Davies was also portrayed in the 1989 movie Scandal which tackled the Profumo affair and its impact on society. She was played in the film by Bridget Fonda.