Bronwen Astor
| Bronwen Astor | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Janet Bronwen Alun Pugh 6 June 1930 |
| Occupation | model |
| Spouse(s) |
The 3rd Viscount Astor (m. 1960—1966; his death) |
| Children | Janet Elizabeth Astor Pauline Marian Astor |
| Parent(s) | John Alun Pugh |
Janet Bronwen Astor, Dowager Viscountess Astor (née Alun Pugh; born June 6, 1930 in London, England), is a former English model. She was muse to the couturier Pierre Balmain, who called her one of the most beautiful women he had ever met.
The daughter of John Alun Pugh, The Dowager Lady Astor is generally known by her middle name Bronwen. After the sudden death of a friend in 1951, she embarked on an inner journey of self-discovery culminating in 1959 in a profound mystical experience.
On October 14, 1960, she married The 3rd Viscount Astor (known to his family and friends as Bill Astor), the eldest son of The 2nd Viscount Astor (1879—1952) and his wife, Nancy, Viscountess Astor (1879—1964). Upon her marriage Bronwen became the mistress of Cliveden, the mansion which her mother-in-law had made famous with her political salons. Within three years of her marriage Bronwen's world was turned upside down by the infamous Profumo Affair, which brought down Prime Minister Harold Macmillan's government. Bill died from a heart attack in 1966, leaving Bronwen with two young daughters.
Bronwen left Cliveden with her daughters, to live in Tuesley Manor, Godalming, Surrey. She opened her new home to the homeless and in 1983 trained as a psychotherapist. Her biography, Bronwen Astor: Her Life and Times, authored by Peter Stanford, was published in 2000. When she left Tuesley it was sold for £1.85 million.
Bronwen became a convert to the Roman Catholic faith, serving as an Extraordinary minister at Holy Apostles Catholic Church, Pimlico.
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