Astor refers to an American dynasty of wealthy and influential merchants, businesspeople, and philanthropists. The clue "Britain's historic Lady ___" suggests that the specific word is a title or name associated with the Astor family in Britain. However, without further information, it is difficult to provide an exact definition or answer based on the given clue.
Note: The provided meaning of the answer is for the latest New York Times crossword puzzle clue: Eponym of a neighborhood in Queens. Explanations are generated by AI and may be inaccurate.