The great and the good at funeral

Sir Mark Thatcher said his mother had been blessed with “a long life, and a very full one”, but that her death was “without doubt a very sad moment”.

“We have quite simply been overwhelmed by messages of support, condolence, of every type, from far and wide, and I know that my mother would be pleased they have come from people of all walks of life,” he said.

Sir Mark’s tribute came as Downing Street revealed the former Prime Minister’s ceremonial funeral will involve more than 700 Armed Forces personnel.

Lady Thatcher’s coffin will be carried into St Paul’s Cathedral by bearers from units particularly associated with the Falklands War.

Personnel from all three services will line the funeral route, while three military bands play – their drums draped in black as a mark of respect. Members of the Honourable Artillery Company will fire procession minute guns at the Tower of London.

On Tuesday, Buckingham Palace confirmed the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will be among the mourners – the first time the Queen has attended the funeral of a former Prime Minister since Winston Churchill’s almost 50 years ago.

It was announced yesterday that Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, and their wives Cherie and Sarah, will also be among a number of high-profile guests from across the world.

A spokesman for FW de Klerk, the last president of apartheid South Africa, said he will be attending as a guest of the Thatcher family. He earlier paid tribute to Lady Thatcher “not only as one of Britain’s greatest Prime Ministers, but also as a leader whose policies had a significant impact throughout the world”.

A spokesman for former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev said he would be unable to attend for health reasons.

Police said yesterday they are already monitoring potential sources of intelligence in the run-up to the funeral, amid mounting concern about the level of security that will be required.

A spokesman said: “We are mindful that this occasion has the potential to attract protest.

“The Metropolitan Police Service wishes to speak to anyone who may choose to demonstrate on Wednesday, or in the coming days, so their right to protest can be upheld whilst respecting the rights of Baroness Thatcher’s family and those who wish to pay their respects.”

The enduring ability of Lady Thatcher to polarise opinion was again emphasised when a row broke out over whether a minute’s silence should be held at football grounds across the country this weekend.

The FA has resisted calls to impose a nationwide minute’s silence under advice from the Football Supporters Federation, and have left it for individual clubs to make the decision.

Reading chairman Sir John Madejski had earlier in the week suggested a minute’s silence would be appropriate for “one of our greatest leaders”.

But with his club due to host Liverpool on Saturday, just two days before the anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, Reading have now announced they will hold a minute’s silence for the 96 people who died instead.

Margaret Aspinall, whose son died in the tragedy, said a minute’s silence would be a “big mistake.”

“The fact is a lot of people would break that silence,” she said.

Comment: Page 12; Thatcher’s radical spirit bridged Atlantic: Page 13; A true woman of substance: Page 13.