a Noble-Princely engagement

The Hon C. Astor and Princess Eliane de Merode


The engagement is announced between Charles, only son of Lord and Lady Astor of Hever, of Westerham, Kent, and Eliane, only daughter of Prince and Princess Léonel de Merode, of Westerlo, Belgium.

The Princess is a graduate of Vesalius College in Brussels (2012).

http://www.vesalius.edu/testimonials/eliane-de-merode-international-affairs-major-class-of-2012-2/

Princess Eliane Marie Ghislaine of Merode was born at Charleville-Mézieres on march 20, 1990. The youngest of four children of Prince Léonel Amaury Marie Chislaine of Merode and Countess Régine Philippine Marie Josephe Ghislaine of Liedekerke.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliane-de-merode-3a334737?authType=NAME_SEARCH&authToken=FTfd&locale=fr_FR&srchid=178153761462854529063&srchindex=1&srchtotal=1&trk=vsrp_people_res_name&trkInfo=VSRPsearchId%3A178153761462854529063%2CVSRPtargetId%3A129239403%2CVSRPcmpt%3Aprimary%2CVSRPnm%3Atrue%2CauthType%3ANAME_SEARCH

The Hon. Charles Gavin John Astor is the only son of John Astor, 4th Baron Astor of Hever, and his second wife, the Hon, Elizabeth Mackintosh, younger daughter of the 2nd Viscount Mackintosh of Halifax.  Charles was born on November 10, 19990.  He is the heir apparent to his father's barony.   He has three older half sisters from his father's first marriage and a younger sister.

Lord Astor serves as the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Defence.

Charles is the great-grandson of John Jacob Astor (1886-1871), the fourth child of William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount Astor, and Mary Dahlgren Paul.  Astor was five years old when his family left the United States to live in England.  He grew up at Cliveden.  William Waldorf Astor also purchased and restored Hever Castle in Kent, once the home of Anne Boleyn.  The Astor family sold Hever Castle and its collection in 1983 to Broadlands Properties Ltd.

The Hon. John Jacob Astor was created 1st Baron Astor of Hever in 1956,  This branch of the Astor family are also in line for the Astor Viscountcy.

Cliveden is now a luxury hotel. http://www.clivedenhouse.co.uk/