William Waldorf Astor, 3rd Viscount Astor
Encyclopedia
William Waldorf Astor, 3rd Viscount Astor (13 August 1907 – 7 March 1966) was a British
businessman and Conservative Party
politician and a member of the prominent Astor family
.
and the Viscountess Astor
. He was educated at Eton College
and at New College
, Oxford. In 1932, he was appointed to the office of Secretary to the Earl of Lytton
, League of Nations Committee of Enquiry in what was then known as Manchuria
.
First elected to the House of Commons in 1935, he served as a Conservative
Member of Parliament
(MP) for the constituency of Fulham East
. Between 1936 and 1937 he held the office of Parliamentary Private Secretary
to the First Lord of the Admiralty Samuel Hoare, who was then made Secretary of State for the Home Department in the new cabinet of Neville Chamberlain in 1937. Active in thoroughbred
horse racing
, he inherited Cliveden Stud, a horse farm and breeding operation in the village of Taplow
near Maidenhead
.
He left politics for a time, but returned as the Conservative MP for Wycombe
in the 1951 general election
, serving for two years. On his father's passing in 1952, he inherited his title, becoming the 3rd Viscount Astor. Astor took his seat in the House of Lords
, forcing a by-election
in Wycombe which was won by the Conservative candidate John Hall.
During the 1963 Profumo Affair
Astor was accused of having an affair with Mandy Rice-Davies
. In response to being told during one of the trials arising out of the scandal that Astor had denied having an affair with her, Rice-Davies famously replied, "Well he would, wouldn't he?"
Astor then took over the family's Cliveden
estate in Buckinghamshire
, where he and his family continued to live until 1966.
He died in Nassau, Bahamas
at age 58 from a heart attack.
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 Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician and a member of the prominent Astor family
Astor family
The Astor family is a Anglo-American business family of German descent notable for their prominence in business, society, and politics.-Founding family members:...
.
Biography
Known as Bill Astor, he was the son of the 2nd Viscount AstorWaldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor
Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor was an American-born British politician and newspaper proprietor.-Early life:...
and the Viscountess Astor
Nancy Astor, Viscountess Astor
Nancy Witcher Astor, Viscountess Astor, CH, was the first woman to sit as a Member of Parliament in the British House of Commons.Constance Markievicz was the first woman elected to the House of Commons in December 1918 after running for the Sinn Féin party in 1918 General Election, but in line...
. He was educated at Eton College
Eton 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 at New College
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
, Oxford. In 1932, he was appointed to the office of Secretary to the Earl of Lytton
Earl of Lytton
Earl of Lytton, in the County of Derby, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1880 for the diplomat and poet Robert Bulwer-Lytton, 2nd Baron Lytton. He was Viceroy of India from 1876 to 1880 and British Ambassador to France from 1887 to 1891...
, League of Nations Committee of Enquiry in what was then known as Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
.
First elected to the House of Commons in 1935, he served as a Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for the constituency of Fulham East
Fulham East (UK Parliament constituency)
Fulham East was a borough constituency in the Metropolitan Borough of Fulham in London. It was represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1955...
. Between 1936 and 1937 he held the office of Parliamentary Private Secretary
Parliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
to the First Lord of the Admiralty Samuel Hoare, who was then made Secretary of State for the Home Department in the new cabinet of Neville Chamberlain in 1937. Active in thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
, he inherited Cliveden Stud, a horse farm and breeding operation in the village of Taplow
Taplow
Taplow is a village and civil parish within South Bucks district in Buckinghamshire, England. It sits on the east bank of the River Thames facing Maidenhead on the opposite bank. Taplow railway station is situated near the A4 south of the village....
near Maidenhead
Maidenhead
Maidenhead is a town and unparished area within the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, in Berkshire, England. It lies on the River Thames and is situated west of Charing Cross in London.-History:...
.
He left politics for a time, but returned as the Conservative MP for Wycombe
Wycombe (UK Parliament constituency)
Wycombe is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It currently elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of elections....
in the 1951 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1951
The 1951 United Kingdom general election was held eighteen months after the 1950 general election, which the Labour Party had won with a slim majority of just five seats...
, serving for two years. On his father's passing in 1952, he inherited his title, becoming the 3rd Viscount Astor. Astor took his seat 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....
, forcing a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in Wycombe which was won by the Conservative candidate John Hall.
During the 1963 Profumo Affair
Profumo Affair
The Profumo Affair was a 1963 British political scandal named after John Profumo, Secretary of State for War. His affair with Christine Keeler, the reputed mistress of an alleged Russian spy, followed by lying in the House of Commons when he was questioned about it, forced the resignation of...
Astor was accused of having an affair with Mandy Rice-Davies
Mandy Rice-Davies
Mandy Rice-Davies , is a Welsh former model and showgirl best known for her role in the Profumo affair and her association with Christine Keeler, which discredited the Conservative government of British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan in 1963.-Early life:She was born Marilyn Rice-Davies in...
. In response to being told during one of the trials arising out of the scandal that Astor had denied having an affair with her, Rice-Davies famously replied, "Well he would, wouldn't he?"
Astor then took over the family's Cliveden
Cliveden
Cliveden is an Italianate mansion and estate at Taplow, Buckinghamshire, England. Set on banks above the River Thames, its grounds slope down to the river. The site has been home to an Earl, two Dukes, a Prince of Wales and the Viscounts Astor....
estate in Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, where he and his family continued to live until 1966.
He died in Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
at age 58 from a heart attack.
Marriages
William Waldorf Astor married three times:- 1945: Sarah Kathleen Elinor Norton - (divorced 1953). They had one son, William Waldorf Astor, 4th Viscount Astor (born 1951)
- 1955: Phillipa Victoria Hunloke, daughter of Henry Philip HunlokeHenry Philip HunlokeHenry Philip Hunloke TD was a British Conservative politician.Hunloke was born in Marylebone, the son of Philip Hunloke. On his mothers side, he was descended from William IV....
- (divorced 1960). They had a daughter, Emily Mary Astor (born 1956) - 1960: Janet Bronwen Alun Pugh. They had two children, Janet Elizabeth Astor (born 1961) and Pauline Marian Astor (born 1964)