Bronwen Astor, born on 6th June 1930, was the forerunner of today's supermodels. She was muse to the couturier Pierre Balmain, who called her one of the most beautiful women he had ever met.

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.

In 1960 Bronwen married Viscount Astor, son of Nancy Astor, the first woman to take her seat in the House of Commons. On marriage Bronwen became the mistress of Cliveden, the Italianate mansion on the Thames, which her mother-in-law, Nancy, had made famous with her political salons. Within three years of her marriage Bronwen's world was turned upside down by the infamous Profumo Scandal, which brought down Prime Minister Harold Macmillan's government. In 1966 her husband Bill Astor died prematurely, leaving her with two young daughters.

Thrown on to her inner resources, Bronwen opened her new home to the homeless and in 1983 trained as a psychotherapist. Her Christian faith has been integral to her work as a therapist as she brings together the spiritual and the psychological. She has also explored alternative therapies and since 1988 she has included Rebirthing in her practice.

Her biography, Bronwen Astor: Her Life and Times authored by Peter Stanford, was published in 2000 and shows how her profound faith has guided and sustained her in surviving tragedy.