Jonathan Aitken Age, Wiki, Wives, Children, Family, Career

Jonathan Aitken is a British author, broadcaster, and former Conservative politician who is now an ordained Church of England priest.

He is best known for his dramatic fall from a senior Cabinet post to a prison cell, and for the life of faith and prison reform that followed.

Aitken was born on August 30, 1942 (84 years old), in Dublin, Ireland. He began his career as a Fleet Street journalist and television presenter before entering Parliament in 1974.

He rose to become Chief Secretary to the Treasury under Prime Minister John Major. His career then collapsed when he lost a libel action against The Guardian and was jailed for perjury in 1999.

He is also a respected biographer, with acclaimed books on Richard Nixon and Margaret Thatcher. Since 2018, he has served as a priest and part-time prison chaplain at HMP Pentonville.

Quick Facts of Jonathan Aitken

Full Name	Jonathan William Patrick Aitken
Profession	Author, broadcaster, priest, former politician, journalist
Age	84 years old
Date of Birth	August 30, 1942
Nationality	British
Zodiac/Sun Sign	Virgo
Birthplace	Dublin, Ireland
Current Address	London, United Kingdom
Gender	Male

Jonathan Aitken Early Life and Education

Jonathan Aitken was born in Dublin, Ireland, into a well-connected political family.

Most of his childhood was spent, for more than three years, in a Dublin hospital, being treated for tuberculosis, cared for by Catholic nuns.

Education

Aitken was educated at Orwell Park School and then at Eton College. He went on to study Law at Christ Church, Oxford, graduating in 1964.

Much later, after his release from prison, he studied Christian theology for two years at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, graduating with distinction.

School	Orwell Park School, then Eton College
Alma Mater	Wycliffe Hall, Oxford
Highest Qualification	Degree in Law and a distinction in theology

Jonathan Aitken Personal Life

Jonathan Aitken has been married twice and has four children. His family life has often drawn as much attention as his public career.

Wives

Jonathan Aitken was married twice. His first wife was Lolicia Azucki, and his second wife was Elizabeth Harris Aitken.

First Wife: Lolicia Azucki

Lolicia Azucki was born in Belgrade, Serbia, and later moved to Switzerland. She came from a wealthy business family and received an import and export business from her father when she was about 20, helping her establish an independent fortune.

She met Jonathan at Annabel’s nightclub in London in 1977. The couple married in November 1979 at St Margaret’s Church, Westminster.

Their marriage ended in divorce in 1998, during a difficult period that included Aitken’s bankruptcy, legal troubles, and the public revelation that he was the biological father of Petrina Khashoggi.

Despite their divorce, they later maintained a friendlier relationship. In 2002, Lolicia returned to Britain to attend Aitken’s 60th birthday celebration.

Second Wife: Elizabeth Harris

Aitken married Elizabeth Harris, née Rees-Williams, in June 2003, several years after his release from prison and during the period when religion had become an important part of his life.

Elizabeth became known as a socialite, actress, businesswoman, and public relations professional. Before marrying Aitken, she had several high-profile marriages.

Jonathan and Elizabeth remained married for 19 years, until her death on April 15, 2022, at the age of 85.

Children

Jonathan Aitken has four children: Victoria Aitken, Alexandra Aitken, William Aitken, and Petrina “Petra” Khashoggi.

His first three children were born during his first marriage, while Petrina was later confirmed through DNA testing to be his biological daughter.

Victoria Aitken

Victoria Aitken, born in 1979, is Alexandra’s twin sister. During Jonathan Aitken’s 1995 libel case, Victoria became involved in the controversy surrounding an account about a hotel stay that was later found to be false.

She later pursued a creative career, studying drama at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in New York. Victoria went on to work as an electro house singer, songwriter, and music producer.

One of her tracks, Vicky From the Yacht, humorously reflected on her family’s dramatic change in circumstances.

Alexandra Aitken

Alexandra Aitken, also born in 1979, was once known as a London socialite and prominent “It girl.” Her life changed considerably when she became interested in Sikh spirituality.

In 2010, Alexandra moved to Punjab, India, embraced Sikhism, and adopted the name Uttrang Kaur Khalsa. Reports described her as following a traditional Sikh lifestyle involving meditation, yoga, a turban, and other religious practices. She married Inderjot Singh, although the couple later separated.

William Aitken

William Aitken, born in 1982, is Jonathan Aitken’s youngest child from his first marriage and his only son.

Unlike his sisters, William has largely remained outside the public spotlight and has kept his personal life private.

Petrina “Petra” Khashoggi

Petrina “Petra” Khashoggi, born to Soraya Khashoggi (née Sandra Daly) in 1980. She grew up believing that Saudi businessman and arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi was her father. Later, a DNA test in 1999 confirmed that Jonathan Aitken is her biological father.

Parents

Aitken was raised by parents who were both active in public life.

Father

His father was Sir William Aitken, a former Royal Air Force pilot who was badly injured in the Second World War and later became a Conservative Member of Parliament.

Mother

His mother was Penelope, Lady Aitken, who was known for her charitable work and was the daughter of John Maffey, 1st Baron Rugby.

Siblings

His sister is the actress Maria Aitken, well known on the British stage and screen. Details of any other siblings are yet to be updated.

Relationship Status	Widower
Wives	Late wife: Elizabeth Harris Aitken Ex-wife: Lolicia Azucki
Children	Daughters: Alexandra, Victoria, Petrina (Petra) Son: William
Parents	Father: Sir William Aitken Mother: Penelope, Lady Aitken
Siblings	Sister: Maria Aitken

Jonathan Aitken Career

Jonathan Aitken has had one of the most varied careers in British public life. It has moved through journalism, television, business, Parliament, prison, writing, and finally the Church.

1960s: Journalist and war correspondent

Aitken began his working life as a Fleet Street journalist in the 1960s. He was a senior reporter and feature writer for the London Evening Standard.

In that role, he served as a war correspondent in Vietnam, Biafra, and the Middle East, building a reputation as a bold and risk-taking reporter.

1968 to 1970: Television presenter at Yorkshire Television

Aitken worked as a journalist and presenter at Yorkshire Television between 1968 and 1970. He fronted the regional news programme Calendar.

He holds a small place in broadcasting history as the first person ever seen on screen when Yorkshire Television began transmitting.

1970s: A move into business

After leaving full-time journalism, Aitken moved into the world of business. He held a senior role in the Middle Eastern division of Slater Walker in the mid 1970s.

He went on to become chairman of a merchant bank in the City of London, while continuing to write for newspapers and magazines.

1974 to 1992: Member of Parliament

Aitken was elected as a Conservative Member of Parliament for Thanet East in the February 1974 general election.

From 1983, he represented the neighbouring seat of South Thanet.

He spent eighteen years on the backbenches. During this period, he was also involved in the relaunch of the breakfast station TV-am, an episode that led broadcaster Anna Ford to throw a glass of wine over him famously.

1992 to 1995: Cabinet minister

In 1992, Aitken was appointed Minister of State for Defence Procurement under Prime Minister John Major. This was his first major government role.

In 1994, he was promoted to Chief Secretary to the Treasury, a Cabinet position.

He resigned in 1995 amid the allegations that would later end his political career.

1999 to 2002: Prison and a turn to faith

In 1999, Aitken pleaded guilty to perjury and perverting the course of justice and served almost seven months in prison. This marked the lowest point of his public life.

While in prison, he began to study the Bible and learn Greek. On release, he studied theology at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, which set the path for the rest of his life.

2002 to present: Author, broadcaster, and columnist

Since the early 2000s, Aitken has worked mainly as an author, broadcaster, lecturer, and columnist.

He has written a large number of books, including praised biographies of Richard Nixon and Margaret Thatcher.

He has also written a life of the hymn writer John Newton and a biography of the Kazakh leader Nursultan Nazarbayev. He remains a regular voice in newspapers and on the radio.

2018 to present: Priest and prison chaplain

Aitken was ordained as a deacon in the Church of England in 2018 by Sarah Mullally, the Bishop of London. He was ordained as a priest a year later.

He now serves as a priest and part-time chaplain at HMP Pentonville in north London, and works closely with prison reform charities.

Jonathan Aitken Net Worth

The estimated net worth is yet to be updated but he earns £15,240 ($20,582.50) yearly.

Net Worth (Approx.)	Yet to be updated
Salary (Approx.)	£15,240 ($20,582.50)

Jonathan Aitken Height, Weight, and Physical Stats

Below are the physical stats of Jonathan Aitken:

Height	In centimetres: Yet to be updated In meters: Yet to be updated In feet and inches: Yet to be updated
Weight	In kg: Yet to be updated In lbs: Yet to be updated
Hair Colour	Grey
Eye Colour	Blue

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