The character of Modesty Blaise had a turbulent life before she even entered her series; as an orphant child in refugee camps during and after WW2 she was scavenging around in Europe, and when she became of age she was the leader of a crime syndicate. After having earned enough money she decided to radically alter her lifestyle and become a crime fighter.
The dazzling and suave beauty has a male helper, Willie Garvin, and they make a deadly team. He always refers to her as Princess, but despite their seemingly attraction to each other the relationship stays purely platonic and businesslike.