John Astor, 3rd Baron Astor of Hever
| The Right Honourable The Lord Astor of Hever PC DL | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence | |
|
Assumed office 2010 | |
| Prime Minister | David Cameron |
| Lord in Waiting | |
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In office 2010–2011 | |
| Prime Minister | David Cameron |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 June 1946 |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse(s) |
Fiona Diana Lennox-Harvey (m. 1970–1990; divorced) Elizabeth Mackintosh (m. 1990–present) |
| Relations |
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| Children |
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| Parents |
Gavin Astor, 2nd Baron Astor of Hever Lady Irene Haig |
| Residence | Westerham, Kent, England |
| Education | Eton College |
| Alma mater | Eton College |
| Occupation | businessman, politician |
John Jacob "Johnny" Astor, 3rd Baron Astor of Hever, PC DL (born 16 June 1946) is an English businessman and politician. He is an hereditary Lord Temporal, sitting with the Conservative. Astor is currently a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence. Astor is a Deputy Lieutenant of Kent.
Family background
Astor was born 16 June 1946. He is the eldest of the five children of Gavin Astor, 2nd Baron Astor of Hever (1918–1984), and Lady Irene Haig (1919–2001). He succeeded to the peerage after his father died from cancer in June 1984. Astor's younger siblings are Bridget (born 1948), Elizabeth (born 1951), Sarah (born 1953), and Philip (born 1959).
The family lives in Westerham, Kent. He suffered from a heart attack in early 2008. After recovering, he stated "I feel I have been given another chance at life," and that "There are things I want to do with it, like helping other people and devoting a bit more time to the charities I'm involved in."
Education and military career
Astor was educated at Eton College before serving with the Life Guards (the senior regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry) from 1966 until 1970, where he visited Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Northern Ireland as well as ceremonial duties in London.
He worked in France for 11 years, and is now patron of the Conservatives in Paris.
Political career
In 1994, Lord Astor was a British Parliamentary Observer in Johannesburg during the South African General Election. He was a member of the Executive, Association of Conservative Peers from 1996–1998. In 1999 he was elected to continue as a member of the House of Lords.
From 1998–2001, he served as an Opposition Spokesman on Social Security and Health from 1998–2003. From 2001, he has been an Opposition Spokesman for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs, and International Development, from 2003 to 2010, Opposition Spokesman for Defense, and from 2010 to 2011 a Lord in Waiting. Since 2010 he is parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Ministry of Defence.
He is Former Hon Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Middle East Council. In 1995 he piloted through the House of Lords the Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act and in 1996 the Trading Schemes Act.
Marriages and children
Astor[1] married firstly Fiona Diana Lennox-Harvey on 1 July 1970. They had three daughters together:
- Hon Camilla Astor (born 8 May 1974)
- Hon Tania Jentie Astor (born 18 April 1978)
- Hon Violet Magdalene Astor (born 1980)
They were divorced in 1990 and in the same year Astor married Hon. Elizabeth Mackintosh, younger daughter of John Mackintosh, 2nd Viscount Mackintosh of Halifax. They had two children:
- Hon Charles Gavin John Astor (born 10 November 1990)
- Hon Olivia Alexandra Elizabeth Astor (born 21 August 1992)
Patronage/community
Astor is a Deputy Lieutenant of Kent. He is also president of the Durand Group (WWI Research) and the Westerham Branch of the Royal British Legion and trustee of the Astor of Hever Trust. He is a former patron of the Edenbridge and District Rifle Club, the League of Friends of Edenbridge Hospital, the Durand Group, the Kent Youth Association, the Bridge Trust, the Aquarian Opera, the Edenbridge Music & Arts Trust, and the Worldwide Volunteering for Young People. Astor was formerly president of the Motorsport Industry Association, the Earl Haig branch of The Royal British Legion, the Eden Valley Museum, and the Kent County Royal British Legion. He was also president of RoSPA and Chairman of St John, Kent, in the Kent Committee of the Country Land and Business Association from 1987 to 1997. Astor was appointed as honorary member of the Lions Club Waldorf-Astoria in October 2012.
See also
References
Arms
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External links
- Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
- Contributions in Parliament at Hansard 1803–2005
- Current session contributions in Parliament at Hansard
- Voting record at PublicWhip.org
- Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou.com
- Profile at Westminster Parliamentary Record
- Profile at BBC News Democracy Live
- Lord Astor on the Conservative Party's website
- Honorary Member of the Lions Club Walldorf-Astoria (Germany)
- Lord Astor of Hever: 'If this had happened anywhere else, I'd be dead'
- http://www.thepeerage.com/p8060.htm#i80595
| Peerage of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Gavin Astor |
Baron Astor of Hever 1984–present |
Incumbent Heir apparent: Hon. Charles Astor |