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A Focus on the Personal as Britons Bid Thatcher Farewell A Focus on the Personal as Britons Bid Thatcher Farewell
(about 20 hours later)
LONDON — Armed with a relentless political combativeness in life that earned her designation as the Iron Lady, Margaret Thatcher achieved a dignified last act on Wednesday with a richly staged funeral notable more for the crowds who cheered her coffin as it rolled through London’s streets on a gun carriage than for the relatively small clusters of protesters who shouted abuse as the cortege passed. LONDON — Armed with a relentless political combativeness in life that earned her designation as the Iron Lady,Margaret Thatcher achieved a dignified last act on Wednesday with a richly staged funeral notable more for the crowds who cheered her coffin as it rolled through London’s streets on a gun carriage than for the relatively small clusters of protesters who shouted abuse as the cortege passed.
Since dying of a stroke last week at 87, Britain’s longest-serving prime minister in 150 years — and the only woman to hold the office — continued to stir intense passions. At issue were the elaborate ceremony and estimated $15 million cost of a funeral in whose planning she had a major voice, as well as the socially disruptive consequences of her no-turning-back battles in the 1980s to shake Britain from its long postwar slump.Since dying of a stroke last week at 87, Britain’s longest-serving prime minister in 150 years — and the only woman to hold the office — continued to stir intense passions. At issue were the elaborate ceremony and estimated $15 million cost of a funeral in whose planning she had a major voice, as well as the socially disruptive consequences of her no-turning-back battles in the 1980s to shake Britain from its long postwar slump.
Security concerns, heightened by the bombing of the Boston Marathon on Monday, reinforced Scotland Yard’s earlier warning that the thousands of police officers deployed along the two-mile route of the funeral procession would arrest anybody judged to have caused “harassment, alarm or distress,” even if the actions were nonviolent.Security concerns, heightened by the bombing of the Boston Marathon on Monday, reinforced Scotland Yard’s earlier warning that the thousands of police officers deployed along the two-mile route of the funeral procession would arrest anybody judged to have caused “harassment, alarm or distress,” even if the actions were nonviolent.
One leftist group, calling itself Good Riddance Maggie Thatcher, said it had sought prior approval for its supporters to turn their backs on the cortege, as they did when the gun carriage was nearing St. Paul’s Cathedral, Christopher Wren’s magnificent domed edifice in the heart of London’s financial district. Earlier, the coffin, not yet transferred from a hearse to the gun carriage, was driven slowly past 10 Downing Street, Mrs. Thatcher’s residence during her 11 years in power.One leftist group, calling itself Good Riddance Maggie Thatcher, said it had sought prior approval for its supporters to turn their backs on the cortege, as they did when the gun carriage was nearing St. Paul’s Cathedral, Christopher Wren’s magnificent domed edifice in the heart of London’s financial district. Earlier, the coffin, not yet transferred from a hearse to the gun carriage, was driven slowly past 10 Downing Street, Mrs. Thatcher’s residence during her 11 years in power.
Along the route, the protesters’ rhythmic shouts of “Waste of money!” and “Rest in shame!” were overpowered in a countering wave of clapping, cheering and chanting of “Maggie! Maggie! Maggie!” by crowds straining for a view on the approaches to the cathedral. At the funeral’s conclusion, dense throngs that pressed in behind police barriers before St. Paul’s raised a cheer of “Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!” as the coffin was loaded into a hearse for its final journey to a family-only cremation in the upscale London district of Chelsea.Along the route, the protesters’ rhythmic shouts of “Waste of money!” and “Rest in shame!” were overpowered in a countering wave of clapping, cheering and chanting of “Maggie! Maggie! Maggie!” by crowds straining for a view on the approaches to the cathedral. At the funeral’s conclusion, dense throngs that pressed in behind police barriers before St. Paul’s raised a cheer of “Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!” as the coffin was loaded into a hearse for its final journey to a family-only cremation in the upscale London district of Chelsea.
There were no serious disturbances, and barely any scuffles, to disrupt an event that had the rare distinction, for a deceased prime minister, of the attendance at the cathedral of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, who were among the 2,300 invited guests at the funeral. The queen, 87, and the duke, 91, had not attended the funerals of any of the other 10 prime ministers who had served in her 61 years on the throne, save for that of Winston Churchill in 1965. There were no serious disturbances, and barely any scuffles, to disrupt an event that had the rare distinction, for a deceased prime minister, of the attendance at the cathedral ofQueen Elizabeth IIand her husband,Prince Philip, who were among the 2,300 invited guests at the funeral. The queen, 87, and the duke, 91, had not attended the funerals of any of the other 10 prime ministers who had served in her 61 years on the throne, save for that ofWinston Churchillin 1965.
One of the few jarring notes at the ceremony came from supporters of Mrs. Thatcher who called President Obama’s decision not to send any senior members of his administration to attend the funeral a slight, in view of Mrs. Thatcher’s influential role as President Ronald Reagan’s partner in facing down the Soviet Union. The American delegation was led by former Vice President Dick Cheney and two other veterans of Republican administrations, George P. Shultz, 92, and James A. Baker III, 82. One of the few jarring notes at the ceremony came from supporters of Mrs. Thatcher who calledPresident Obama’s decision not to send any senior members of his administration to attend the funeral a slight, in view of Mrs. Thatcher’s influential role as PresidentRonald Reagan’s partner in facing down the Soviet Union. The American delegation was led by former Vice PresidentDick Cheneyand two other veterans of Republican administrations,George P. Shultz, 92, andJames A. Baker III, 82.
Funeral organizers said that they had invited all the former American presidents, but that none had accepted. Officials said they had cited a range of reasons, from poor health in the case of the first President George Bush, to previous engagements, in the case of former President George W. Bush. Initially, organizers said there was a possibility that former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton would attend, but she, too, declined, as did Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. Funeral organizers said that they had invited all the former American presidents, but that none had accepted. Officials said they had cited a range of reasons, from poor health in the case of the first President George Bush, to previous engagements, in the case of former PresidentGeorge W. Bush. Initially, organizers said there was a possibility that former Secretary of StateHillary Rodham Clintonwould attend, but she, too, declined, as did Vice PresidentJoseph R. Biden Jr.
The absences drew critical comment from across the spectrum of British politics. Gerald Howarth, chairman of a Thatcherite group of Conservatives in Parliament, told The Daily Mail: “The bond forged between the U.K. and the U.S. through Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher was instrumental in ending the cold war and liberating millions of people. That the present administration feels unable to be represented as the world marks the extraordinary contribution Margaret Thatcher made will be a disappointment to those who served with her in that endeavor.”The absences drew critical comment from across the spectrum of British politics. Gerald Howarth, chairman of a Thatcherite group of Conservatives in Parliament, told The Daily Mail: “The bond forged between the U.K. and the U.S. through Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher was instrumental in ending the cold war and liberating millions of people. That the present administration feels unable to be represented as the world marks the extraordinary contribution Margaret Thatcher made will be a disappointment to those who served with her in that endeavor.”
Still, many in Britain viewed one of the highlights of the funeral as the role of an American, Amanda Thatcher, a 19-year-old granddaughter of Mrs. Thatcher. The former prime minister’s son, Mark, 59, was previously married to Diane Burgdorf, a Dallas-born American who is Amanda’s mother.Still, many in Britain viewed one of the highlights of the funeral as the role of an American, Amanda Thatcher, a 19-year-old granddaughter of Mrs. Thatcher. The former prime minister’s son, Mark, 59, was previously married to Diane Burgdorf, a Dallas-born American who is Amanda’s mother.
Amanda, a college student in Richmond, Va., and her brother, Michael, 24, a chemistry graduate who works as a pharmacist in Dallas, were said by family members to have spoken frequently with Mrs. Thatcher on the telephone in recent years and to have been the greatest delight of her declining years. Mrs. Thatcher had advancing dementia that friends said had caused her to forget the identities of Mr. Reagan and the present British prime minister, David Cameron. Amanda, a college student in Richmond, Va., and her brother, Michael, 24, a chemistry graduate who works as a pharmacist in Dallas, were said by family members to have spoken frequently with Mrs. Thatcher on the telephone in recent years and to have been the greatest delight of her declining years. Mrs. Thatcher had advancing dementia that friends said had caused her to forget the identities of Mr. Reagan and the present British prime minister,David Cameron.
The two grandchildren were given prominent roles at the funeral, walking before the coffin and its military pallbearers down the nave of St. Paul’s, bearing purple cushions with two medals, the Order of the Garter and the Order of Merit, which are among Britain’s highest civilian honors, awarded personally by the monarch. Amanda, impeccably dressed in a black coat, a pearl necklace and a broad-brimmed black hat, read the first lesson, from VI Ephesians 10:18, in a soft, composed voice; the second, and last, lesson was read by Mr. Cameron. The two grandchildren were given prominent roles at the funeral, walking before the coffin and its military pallbearers down the nave of St. Paul’s, bearing purple cushions with two medals, the Order of the Garter and the Order of Merit, which are among Britain’s highest civilian honors, awarded personally by the monarch. Amanda, impeccably dressed in a black coat, a pearl necklace and a broad-brimmed black hat, read the first lesson, from Ephesians 6:10-18, in a soft, composed voice; the second, and last, lesson was read by Mr. Cameron.
Throughout the service, the emphasis was on honoring Mrs. Thatcher personally, not her political accomplishments, something she was said to have demanded in planning sessions, telling officials that she knew she would remain a contentious figure in death. The bishop of London, Richard Chartres, presiding at the funeral, said that while Mrs. Thatcher had become “a symbolic figure — even an ‘ism’ “ in her 11 years in power, the funeral was “neither the time nor the place” for a political reckoning. Throughout the service, the emphasis was on honoring Mrs. Thatcher personally, not her political accomplishments, something she was said to have demanded in planning sessions, telling officials that she knew she would remain a contentious figure in death. The bishop of London, Richard Chartres, presiding at the funeral, said that while Mrs. Thatcher had become “a symbolic figure — even an ‘ism’ ” in her 11 years in power, the funeral was “neither the time nor the place” for a political reckoning.
“This is a place for ordinary human compassion of the kind that is reconciling,” he said.“This is a place for ordinary human compassion of the kind that is reconciling,” he said.
Still, the procession, with its military panoply, and the St. Paul’s service, with the themes of moral rectitude and unflagging fortitude that infused the readings and hymns, conveyed much of what Mrs. Thatcher’s admirers saw as the foundation of her greatness. The hymns spoke for the Victorian values — and the disciplined Methodist upbringing — of Mrs. Thatcher’s childhood.Still, the procession, with its military panoply, and the St. Paul’s service, with the themes of moral rectitude and unflagging fortitude that infused the readings and hymns, conveyed much of what Mrs. Thatcher’s admirers saw as the foundation of her greatness. The hymns spoke for the Victorian values — and the disciplined Methodist upbringing — of Mrs. Thatcher’s childhood.
As the funeral ended, 30 veterans of her cabinet, fellow Conservatives who are old men now, some of whom were involved in the political coup that forced her resignation in 1990, mingled in the aisles of St. Paul’s. Viewed from an upper gallery reserved for a small band of reporters invited to attend, the most pensive of them appeared to be Michael Heseltine, 80, a multimillionaire publisher and a leader of the 1990 rebels, who Mrs. Thatcher privately accused of an “unforgivable betrayal.”As the funeral ended, 30 veterans of her cabinet, fellow Conservatives who are old men now, some of whom were involved in the political coup that forced her resignation in 1990, mingled in the aisles of St. Paul’s. Viewed from an upper gallery reserved for a small band of reporters invited to attend, the most pensive of them appeared to be Michael Heseltine, 80, a multimillionaire publisher and a leader of the 1990 rebels, who Mrs. Thatcher privately accused of an “unforgivable betrayal.”

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:

Correction: April 18, 2013

Because of an editing error, an earlier version of this article misstated the reference to the Biblical passage read  by Amanda Thatcher as the first lesson at her grandmother’s funeral. It is Ephesians 6:10-18, not VI Ephesians 10:18.