William Waldorf Astor III, 4th Viscount Astor (born 27 December 1951) is an English businessman and politician who sits as a Conservative hereditary Lord Temporal in the House of Lords. 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.
The Viscount Astor | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2017 | |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for National Heritage | |
| In office 20 July 1994 – 6 July 1995 | |
| Prime Minister | John Major |
| Preceded by | Iain Sproat |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Inglewood |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security | |
| In office 16 September 1993 – 20 July 1994 | |
| Prime Minister | John Major |
| Preceded by | Ann Widdecombe |
| Succeeded by | James Arbuthnot |
| Lord-in-waiting Government Whip | |
| In office 11 October 1990 – 16 September 1993 | |
| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher John Major |
| Preceded by | The Lord Cavendish of Furness |
| Succeeded by | The Lord MacKay of Ardbrecknish |
| Member of the House of Lords | |
| as a hereditary peer 4 July 1973 – 11 November 1999 | |
| Preceded by | The 3rd Viscount Astor |
| Succeeded by | Seat abolished |
| as an elected hereditary peer 11 November 1999 | |
| Election | 1999 |
| Preceded by | Seat established |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Waldorf Astor III 27 December 1951 |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Parents | |
| Relatives | See Astor family |
| Alma mater | Eton College |
| Occupation | Politician, businessman |
Biography
editAstor was a Lord-in-waiting (a House of Lords whip) from 1990 to 1993. He was then made a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Social Security. In 1994, he moved to the Department of National Heritage where he served until leaving the government in 1995.
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 2007) and trustee of Stanley Spencer Gallery in Cookham.
Political positions
editAstor was an early opponent of the HS2 high-speed rail project.[2]
Marriage and children
editAstor married Annabel Lucy Veronica Jones (born 1948), daughter of Timothy Angus Jones and Patricia David Pandora Clifford on 14 January 1976. They have three children:
- Hon Flora Katherine Astor (born 7 June 1976). She is married to Theo Rycroft. They have three children: Nelson (born 2008), Pandora (born 2011) and Lydia (born 2016).
- Hon William Waldorf "Will" Astor IV (born 18 January 1979). He is married to Lohralee Stutz. They have four children: William Waldorf (born 2012), Allegra Annabel (born 2013), Conrad Charles (born 2016) and India Isabel (born 2017).
- Hon James Jacob "Jake" Astor (born 4 March 1981). He is married to Victoria L. Hargreaves. They have two children: Sibyl (born 2015) and Atalanta (born 2017).
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 Minister David Cameron.
Arms
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References
edit- ^ "Founding Council | The Rothermere American Institute". Rothermere American Institute. Archived from the original on 17 November 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ^ Cohen, Nick (15 January 2012). "Viscount Astor, you really are a class apart | Nick Cohen". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
- ^ "Allegra Annabel Astor Birth Announcement". The Times. 21 August 2013.