Queen to pay her final respects

The Queen will break with long-standing Royal convention by attending the funeral of Baroness Thatcher at St Paul’s Cathedral next week, as Britain prepares to pay its final respects to the longest-serving Prime Minister since the war.
Headlines mark the passing of Margaret ThatcherHeadlines mark the passing of Margaret Thatcher
Headlines mark the passing of Margaret Thatcher

Downing Street announced yesterday that the grand ceremonial service will be held in London next Wednesday, with dignitaries expected to fly in from around the world to be in attendance.

By long-standing convention British monarchs do not normally attend the funerals of their Prime Ministers, instead sending a representative on their behalf.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

An exception was last made in 1965 following the death of Sir Winston Churchill, who was granted a full state funeral which the Queen attended.

Margaret Thatcher in 1982Margaret Thatcher in 1982
Margaret Thatcher in 1982

Lady Thatcher had indicated to friends before she died that she did not want a full state funeral, nor to lie in state beforehand. Instead she will receive a ceremonial event with full military honours – the same status accorded the Queen Mother and Diana, Princess of Wales.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “It’s a unique occasion, where the Prime Minister is being given a ceremonial funeral with military honours.

“Her Majesty gave consent to the plans proposed by the Government and Lady Thatcher’s family some time ago.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Flags were being flown at half-mast at British Government buildings and UK embassies around the world yesterday, while books of condolence have been opened at a museum in Grantham – Lady Thatcher’s hometown – and by Finchley and Golders Green Conservatives, in her former constituency.

Number 10 is expected to begin releasing details of the funeral guest later today, amid speculation it could include former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and ex-US first lady Nancy Reagan.

Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude said: “There is already a huge amount of interest, there’s a guest list. People will be invited over the coming days.”

Asked about the Queen’s attendance alongside the Duke of Edinburgh, he added: “I think it’s very significant that Her Majesty and the Duke wish to attend.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“She was a very long-standing Prime Minister, she was transformational for Britain and made a huge difference for the world.”

Lady Thatcher’s son Mark was due to return to the United Kingdom last night. His sister, Carol, will also return before the funeral.

A Downing Street spokesman said the funeral date had been agreed at a “Government co-ordination meeting” with the Thatcher family and Buckingham Palace yesterday morning.

Further meetings will be held at Number 10 each day under the codename ‘True Blue’, chaired by Mr Maude and also including representatives from the Ministry of Defence and the Met Police, amid concerns the funeral could be targeted by protesters.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The divisive nature of Lady Thatcher’s legacy was laid bare on Monday night with a series of raucous public parties and celebrations being held in city centres up and down the country.

Six police officers were injured when a fight broke out at a party in Bristol during the early hours of yesterday morning, where 200 people had gathered.

One officer remains in hospital and one person was arrested for violent disorder.

In Leeds, people sang in the street and handed out ‘Thatcher is Dead’ cake to passers-by. In Sheffield, scores of people gathered in Lloyds Bar at Barker’s Pool, once the headquarters of the National Union of Mineworkers, to sing songs about the passing of the former Prime Minister.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Meanwhile hundreds of ex-miners are planning parties and other events next Wednesday, to coincide with the funeral.

Durham Miners’ Association (DMA) general secretary David Hopper said that in the last days of the North East coal industry, a unanimous agreement was made to hold a celebration when she died.

“It’s the end of an era for the person who destroyed our coal mines,” Mr Hopper said.

“We are recognising that the perpetrator of all this evil has gone, and thankfully she will not be coming back.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We agreed that at Thatcher’s demise, if we were still around, we would put on an alternative event.

“We will have a hell of a time.”

An event is also being planned by former miners at Allerton Bywater in West Yorkshire.

A campaign to get the song Ding, Dong, the Witch is Dead from The Wizard of Oz into the pop charts is also under way.

Tory MP Conor Burns, a friend of the former PM, said he was “delighted” that her opponents still felt so strongly.

“The hatred that burns in their hearts against Margaret Thatcher is actually an enormous tribute to Margaret Thatcher, because she won,” he said.