Astor family tree

English businessman and politician (born )

William Waldorf Astor III, 4th Viscount Astor (born 27 December ) is an English businessman and politician who sits as a ConservativehereditaryLord Temporal in the House of Lords.

Viscount astor biography He served as a state assemblyman and senator, but his political career was halted by his failure to win an election to the U. He was then appointed minister to Italy — In he moved to England, where he acquired control of a newspaper and several magazines. He also founded—mainly to forward the literary ambition he had shown in two mediocre novels— Pall Mall Magazine. His estates, Cliveden and Hever Castle, were magnificent, his entertainments extravagant, his contributions to public causes—especially in World War I —munificent.

He is a member of the Astor family, which is known for its prominence in business, society, and politics in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

Biography

Astor was a Lord-in-waiting (a House of Lords whip) from to He was then made a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Social Security. In , he moved to the Department of National Heritage where he served until leaving the government in

He was a member of the Founding Council of the Rothermere American Institute at the University of Oxford.^[1]

Viscount Astor is Chairman of Silvergate Media and director of Networkers Plc (since ) and trustee of Stanley Spencer Gallery in Cookham.

Political positions

Astor was an early opponent of the HS2 high-speed rail project.^[2]

Marriage and children

Astor married Annabel Lucy Veronica Jones (born ), daughter of Timothy Angus Jones and Patricia David Pandora Clifford on 14 January They have three children:

• Hon Flora Katherine Astor (born 7 June ).

  She is married to Theo Rycroft. They have three children: Nelson (born ), Pandora (born ) and Lydia (born ).

• Hon William Waldorf "Will" Astor IV (born 18 January ). He is married to Lohralee Stutz.
  Viscount astor biography wikipedia As of [update] , the titles are held by their grandson, the fourth Viscount, who succeeded his father in He is one of the ninety-two elected hereditary peers that remain in the House of Lords after the passing of the House of Lords Act , and sits as a Conservative. The Hon. David Astor CH, the Hon. Michael Astor and the Hon.

  They have four children: William Waldorf (born ), Allegra Annabel (born ), Conrad Charles (born ) and India Isabel (born ).

• Hon James Jacob "Jake" Astor (born 4 March ). He is married to Victoria L. Hargreaves. They have two children: Sibyl (born ) and Atalanta (born ).

The heir to the viscountcy is his elder son, Will.^[3]

His wife Annabel's stepfather was his uncle Michael Langhorne Astor.

Viscountess Astor was previously married to Sir Reginald Sheffield, 8th Baronet by whom she is the mother of Samantha Cameron, wife of former Prime MinisterDavid Cameron.

Arms

Coronet A Coronet of a Viscount Crest From a Mount Vert a Falcon rising proper ensigned by three Mullets Gold Escutcheon Or, a falcon resting on a dexter hand couped at the wrist proper and gauntleted gules in chief two fleurs-de-lys of the last Supporters Dexter: a North American Indian; Sinister: a North American fur trapper; each habited accoutred and holding in the exterior hand a Rifle all proper Motto Ad Astra (To the stars)

References

External links