Herbert Asquith – sex and secrets in the closet

History tends to put a shine on politicians and only decades later does the often startling truth emerge. It now appears that Herbert Asquith, UK prime minister from 1908 to 1916 took a young socialite lover whom he cavorted with in passionate weekly trysts in the back of the official prime-ministerial car. He also shared vital military secrets and coded documents with her as World War 1 broke out, compromising national security. Until recently it was written off as a fleeting dalliance but letters have emerged as Robert Harris researched a new novel which makes it clear the reality was. The state limo was “totally sealed, like a bedroom on wheels, with blinds on the windows and only a push-button intercom to speak to the driver.”

 Asquith, 12 September 1852 Morley, England, no birth time,  was a Sun Virgo which was sextile/trine Jupiter in Scorpio opposition Saturn in Taurus; with Pluto Uranus in Taurus square his Venus. Male Virgos can be players when it comes to sexual dalliances; and that would be accentuated by Venus Pluto Uranus.

 Venetia Stanley, his mistress, 35 years his junior, who nearly sent him into a breakdown when she skipped off in aristo fashion to marry someone else in 1915, was born 22 August 1887 in London.  Her final degree Leo Sun may have been conjunct his Leo/Virgo Moon and her Neptune Pluto in Gemini sextile his Venus which would bring a mesmerising attraction.

  But it is their relationship chart which shows the romantic sparks most clearly with a passionate and excitable composite Sun, Venus, Mars conjunction sextile Jupiter.    He an ageing politician, father of seven, became besotted, wrote to her three times a day and organised their Friday afternoon automobile liaisons. Surreal but true evidently.

11 thoughts on “Herbert Asquith – sex and secrets in the closet

  1. With Venus in Leo square Uranus in Taurus, and Mars in Libra the woman he shared secrets with must of been a Honeypot.
    Venus the ruler of Taurus and Libra rules honey, get it?
    Sorry, bad astrological joke 🙂

  2. Can you tell us also something about his wife, Margot Asquith, whose speech on World War is available on YouTube to hear – in her own voice?

  3. This was interesting. Thanks Marjorie.
    One of his seven children was the grandmother of actress Helena Bonham Carter.
    Learnt something new today.

    • Unlike Lloyd George, who similarly had a mistress.
      One interesting addition which perhaps confirms Marjorie’s post, was that he soon took up with another young woman, sending her daily letters. His biographer Roy Jenkins says that this was a relief valve from political tensions. His second wife Margot I suspect would not have kept any gossip confidential.
      The death of his son in 1916 seems to have brought on something akin to a breakdown which led to Lloyd George.

      • Thanks for the additional information. This goes to show how politicians are very much human, too, as people often forget as they pilloried (sometimes for good reason) and distorted out of all recognition (like Hillary Clinton and others).

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