Gavin Astor, 2nd Baron Astor of Hever

The Right Honourable The Lord Astor of Hever
Gavin Astor, 2nd Baron Astor of Hever
Born	(1918-06-01)1 June 1918
Died	28 June 1984(1984-06-28) (aged 66) near Tarland, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Cause of death	cancer
Education	Eton College New College, Oxford
Spouse(s)	Lady Irene Haig (1945–1984; his death)
Children	John Astor, 3rd Baron Astor of Hever Bridget Mary Astor Elizabeth Louise Astor Sarah Violet Astor Philip Douglas Paul Astor
Parent(s)	John Jacob Astor, 1st Baron Astor of Hever Violet Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound
Relatives	William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount Astor (grandfather) Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto (grandfather) Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor (uncle) George Petty-Fitzmaurice, 8th Marquess of Lansdowne (half-brother) John Astor (brother) William Astor, 3rd Viscount Astor (cousin) Francis David Langhorne Astor (cousin) Michael Langhorne Astor (cousin) Jakie Astor (cousin)

Gavin Astor, 2nd Baron Astor of Hever (1 June 1918 – 28 June 1984), was an English soldier, publisher, peer, and member of the Astor family.

Astor was the eldest son of John Jacob Astor, 1st Baron Astor of Hever (1886–1971), and Lady Violet Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound (1889–1965). He had two younger brothers, Hugh (1920–1999) and John (1923–1987). His mother had two children, Mary (1910–2003) and George (1912–1997), from her previous marriage to Lord Charles Petty-Fitzmaurice (1874–1914).

He was educated at Eton College and New College, Oxford, before joining the Life Guards, where he reached the rank of captain.

Business positions included the chairmanship of the Times Publishing Company and life presidency of Times Newspapers Ltd. He was appointed High Sheriff of Sussex in 1955.

He inherited the barony and Hever Castle in Kent on the death of his father in 1971.

In 1955, he founded the Astor of Hever Trust, a charity aimed to collect donations for arts, medicine, religion, education, conservation, youth, and sport.

Astor married Lady Irene Haig (1919–2001), youngest daughter of Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig (1861–1928), and Dorothy Maud Vivian (1879–1939), on 4 October 1945. They had five children:

Astor died of cancer in 1984 at his home near Tarland, Scotland. He was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son Johnny.