Jonathan Aitken marries again
-26/6/03
Ex-Tory minister Jonathan Aitken has married for the second time at a low-key service in London.
Mr Aitken, who was
Jonathan Aitken marries again
-26/6/03
Ex-Tory minister Jonathan Aitken has married for the second time at a low-key service in London.
Mr Aitken, who was jailed for perjury after his doomed libel action against The Guardian and Granada Television, has wed Elizabeth Harris, the former wife of the late actor Richard Harris.
The former minister has recently turned his attention to theology and its application to public life, after turning to the Christian faith.
He recently delivered a lecture which looked at the limitations of the free market in light of the gospel message and is understood to be interested in prison reform.
Lord Lamont, who was Chancellor when Mr Aitken was in John Major’s Government, and the former Commons Speaker Lord Weatherill were among the congregation at the hour-long ceremony at St Matthew’s Church in Westminster.
Also present were Tory MP and ex-front bencher John Bercow and Labour MP Diane Abbott, a long-standing friend of Mr Aitken, who is godfather to her child.
The couple, both in their early 60s, began a relationship more than a year ago after rekindling an old romance.
Elizabeth, whose two other previous husbands were the groom’s cousin Peter Aitken and actor Sir Rex Harrison, wore a simple cream satin dress.
The smiling pair posed with family on the steps of Sir George Gilbert Scott’s 1849 church and when offered congratulations by well-wishers, Mr Aitken said: “Thank you very much.”
They were then driven to the reception in Carlton Terrace, central London, before beginning their honeymoon with a night at London’s Ritz Hotel.
Since he was released from prison in January 2000, Mr Aitken has spoken of his “eternal shame” at asking his then wife and daughter to lie about his infamous stay at the Paris Ritz.
A spokeswoman for Mr Aitken said bride and groom would spend just one night in the London hotel before flying to the Caribbean for the rest of their honeymoon.
Jonathan Aitken marries again
-26/6/03
Ex-Tory minister Jonathan Aitken has married for the second time at a low-key service in London.
Mr Aitken, who was jailed for perjury after his doomed libel action against The Guardian and Granada Television, has wed Elizabeth Harris, the former wife of the late actor Richard Harris.
The former minister has recently turned his attention to theology and its application to public life, after turning to the Christian faith.
He recently delivered a lecture which looked at the limitations of the free market in light of the gospel message and is understood to be interested in prison reform.
Lord Lamont, who was Chancellor when Mr Aitken was in John Major’s Government, and the former Commons Speaker Lord Weatherill were among the congregation at the hour-long ceremony at St Matthew’s Church in Westminster.
Also present were Tory MP and ex-front bencher John Bercow and Labour MP Diane Abbott, a long-standing friend of Mr Aitken, who is godfather to her child.
The couple, both in their early 60s, began a relationship more than a year ago after rekindling an old romance.
Elizabeth, whose two other previous husbands were the groom’s cousin Peter Aitken and actor Sir Rex Harrison, wore a simple cream satin dress.
The smiling pair posed with family on the steps of Sir George Gilbert Scott’s 1849 church and when offered congratulations by well-wishers, Mr Aitken said: “Thank you very much.”
They were then driven to the reception in Carlton Terrace, central London, before beginning their honeymoon with a night at London’s Ritz Hotel.
Since he was released from prison in January 2000, Mr Aitken has spoken of his “eternal shame” at asking his then wife and daughter to lie about his infamous stay at the Paris Ritz.
A spokeswoman for Mr Aitken said bride and groom would spend just one night in the London hotel before flying to the Caribbean for the rest of their honeymoon.