John Astor, 3rd Baron Astor of Hever

This article includes a list of general references, but it remains largely unverified because it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (September 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

The Right Honourable The Lord Astor of Hever PC DL
Lord Astor of Hever in 2019
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State For Defence
In office 11 May 2010 – 8 May 2015
Prime Minister	David Cameron
Preceded by	The Lord Drayson
Succeeded by	The Earl Howe
Lord-in-waiting Government Whip
In office 11 May 2010 – 5 September 2011
Prime Minister	David Cameron
Preceded by	The Lord Brett
Succeeded by	The Baroness Stowell of Beeston
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal
Incumbent
Assumed office 11 February 1986 Hereditary Peerage
Preceded by	The 2nd Lord Astor of Hever
Personal details
Born	(1946-06-16) 16 June 1946 (age 75)
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	Fiona Diana Lennox-Harvey (m. 1970–1990; divorced) Elizabeth Mackintosh (m. 1990–present)
Children	5
Parents	Gavin Astor, 2nd Baron Astor of Hever Lady Irene Haig
Relatives	See Astor family
Residence	Westerham, Kent, England
Education	Eton College
Alma mater	Eton College
Occupation	Businessman, politician

John Jacob "Johnny" Astor VIII, 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 Conservatives. Astor was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence from 2010–2015. 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, and Lady Irene Haig. Astor succeeded to the peerage after his father died from cancer in June 1984. His younger siblings are Bridget, Elizabeth, Sarah, and Philip.^{[citation needed]}

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. From 2010–2015 he was parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Ministry of Defence. He is currently the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy to Oman and Defence Secretary's Adviser for Military Co-operation with the Sultanate of Oman.

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^{[citation needed]} married firstly Fiona Diana Lennox-Harvey on 1 July 1970. They had three daughters together:

• The Honourable Camilla Fiona Astor (born 8 May 1974) she married Dominic M. Trusted and they have one daughter:
  • Raya Trusted (March 2008)
• The Honourable Tania Jentie Astor (born 18 April 1978)
• The Honourable 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:

• The Honourable Charles Gavin John Astor (born 10 November 1990). In June 2017, he married Princess Eliane Marie Ghislain de Merode.^{[citation needed]}
• The Honourable Olivia Alexandra Elizabeth Astor (born 21 August 1992)

See also[]

• Astor family

References[]

Arms[]

External links[]

• Profile at the 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
• [1]