Lord Downer of Adelaide Hills has moved to reveal his decision to dress as notorious World War I spy Mata Hari (main picture) at his 21^st birthday party in 1972.

His Lordship said he wanted to outline the facts of what happened before the information was leaked in circumstances similar to those affecting NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet.

Lord Downer called together members of the media for a news conference at his family seat Pout House where he made a brief explanation of his actions without taking questions.

Media representatives were instructed to assemble outside the east gates of the estate, with each carrying binoculars they were earlier instructed to bring.

At the appointed time for the news conference His Lordship arrived in the porte cochere of Pout House’s east wing approximately 1.1 kms away from the throng of reporters.

Looking through their binoculars, reporters could detect His Lordship being carried towards the building’s east door in a sedan chair by four strapping, unclad young footmen whose oiled torsos could be espied glistening in the sun until shaded by the porte cochere.

His Lordship was then assisted from the sedan chair and could be seen spending some minutes reapplying oil to the bodies of the young men before taking a laced kerchief from one of his sleeves and drying his hands.

An under-butler at the east gate advised silence as His Lordship began his remarks using a megaphone held to his delicate pursed yet slightly quivering lips by one of the footmen.

“In light of the wretched – nay, treacherous – events afflicting the NSW Premier in recent days I have decided to make this statement today about the festivities that marked my coming of age in 1972,” Lord Downer declared.

“At the time I was enrolled at Newcastle University in the UK where I was studying for a double major in economics and entitlement.

“As was de rigueur at the time my birthday celebration was built around a theme to which guests would adhere when choosing their dress.

“It was up to me as host to set the theme and I chose ‘Dutch exotic dancers and German spies executed by the French during the First World War’.

“I took the choice very seriously and to that end spent all day dressed as Mata Hari for some months before my 21^st party. And for some months after, too.”

At that His Lordship explained that he was making his statement and releasing a photo of himself at the party in the hope of pre-empting any attempt by “jealous and vindictive bloviating cads” who may wish to damage his reputation.

Lord Downer could then be seen through reporters’ binoculars entering the east vestibule of Pout House on the arm of one of the naked footmen.

A few moments later his voice could be heard by those at the east gate calling a halt to the news conference.