Rickles:

 

     >For the literary amongst us, the term is often associated with the fictional barrister Horace Rumpole in the excellent stories by John Mortimer. <

 

It's how he referred to his wife, Hilda, usually whilst leaning against the bar with a glass of Chateau Thames Embankment or Chateau Fleet Street (his name for cheap red wine).

 

However, the origin is from Henry Rider Haggard's 1886 novel She: A History of Adventure 

 

Bravo!

I'm not 100% sure, but I think that Rumpole of the Bailey TV series preceded books.  So Geektastics comments may have been more accurate if stating "For the televiewers amongst us, ...".

I'll note that from my recollection, the "term of endearment" (in the TV series) was said as "She, ... who must be obeyed" with an emphasis on the "She" and a somewhat reticent tone when saying "who must be obeyed".  The meaning is quite different if the emphasis is on "must" - as in "She who must be obeyed".  In case of the former - it's okay IMO, if the latter - then divorce is probably inevitable.

(shamefully - as my father was a philologist - I don't know how to define / express phonology better)