William Astor, 4th Viscount Astor
Encyclopedia
William Waldorf Astor, 4th Viscount Astor (born 27 December 1951) is a British
businessman and politician who sits as an elected hereditary peer
in the House of Lords
.
, and in 1976 married Annabel, Lady Sheffield
, with whom he has two sons and a daughter. Annabel is the stepdaughter of Astor's uncle Michael Astor
. Lord Astor's own stepdaughter, Samantha Cameron
, is a company director and is married to the British Prime Minister, David Cameron
.
He 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
until 1994 when he moved to the Department of National Heritage where he served until leaving the government in 1995.
Lord Astor is presently Deputy Chairman of Chorion Plc (since 1996) and director of Networkers Plc (since 2007).
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
businessman and politician who sits as an elected hereditary peer
Hereditary peer
Hereditary peers form part of the Peerage in the United Kingdom. There are over seven hundred peers who hold titles that may be inherited. Formerly, most of them were entitled to sit in the House of Lords, but since the House of Lords Act 1999 only ninety-two are permitted to do so...
in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
.
Biography
Astor was educated at Eton CollegeEton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, and in 1976 married Annabel, Lady Sheffield
Annabel Astor, Viscountess Astor
Annabel Lucy Veronica Astor, Viscountess Astor is an English businesswoman who is the CEO of OKA Direct, a home furnishings design company...
, with whom he has two sons and a daughter. Annabel is the stepdaughter of Astor's uncle Michael Astor
Michael Langhorne Astor
The Hon. Michael Langhorne Astor was a British Conservative Party politician and fourth child of Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor and Nancy Witcher Langhorne, both Members of Parliament....
. Lord Astor's own stepdaughter, Samantha Cameron
Samantha Cameron
Samantha Gwendoline Cameron , often known simply as "Sam Cam", is a British business executive and wife of David Cameron, the current Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom....
, is a company director and is married to the British Prime Minister, David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
.
He was a Lord-in-Waiting
Lord-in-Waiting
Most Lords in Waiting are Government whips in the House of Lords who are members of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. As members of the Royal Household their duties are nominal, though they are occasionally required to meet visiting political and state leaders on visits...
(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
Department of Social Security
The Department of Social Security is the name of a defunct governmental agency in the United Kingdom.The DSS replaced the older Department of Health and Social Security, from 1988 until 2001, when it was itself largely replaced as a department of the Government of the United Kingdom by the...
until 1994 when he moved to the Department of National Heritage where he served until leaving the government in 1995.
Lord Astor is presently Deputy Chairman of Chorion Plc (since 1996) and director of Networkers Plc (since 2007).
External links
- http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/64988