Irene Adler, professionally known as 'The Woman', is a brilliant dominatrix who has an apparently romantic attraction to Sherlock Holmes. Whilst Mycroft – Holmes' elder brother (by seven years) – is telling Sherlock about Irene, he states that she is a dominatrix who gives out 'recreational scolding' to people. She has been in the middle of two political scandals in recent years, one of them involving a famous author, in which she had an affair with both sides. She is brought to Sherlock's attention when he and John are summoned to Buckingham Palace by Mycroft and are asked to take on a case of national importance. Irene had taken compromising images of a young female member of the British Royal family during a dominatrix session. Even though Irene does not want money or power for the pictures, Sherlock is tasked in getting them back. She is using them, and other information for her 'protection'.