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Margaret Thatcher: newspapers treat funeral as state occasion Margaret Thatcher: newspapers treat funeral as state occasion
(5 months later)
I lost count of today's national newspaper pages devoted to Margaret Thatcher's funeral after reaching three figures. Will the Queen get as many?I lost count of today's national newspaper pages devoted to Margaret Thatcher's funeral after reaching three figures. Will the Queen get as many?
It may not, strictly speaking, have been a state funeral, but editors – reflecting the coverage of the event on TV – certainly treated it as if it was one.It may not, strictly speaking, have been a state funeral, but editors – reflecting the coverage of the event on TV – certainly treated it as if it was one.
When Winston Churchill was borne to his grave in 1965 newspapers were much smaller, so there was much less space available to do him justice.When Winston Churchill was borne to his grave in 1965 newspapers were much smaller, so there was much less space available to do him justice.
Thatcher, it may be argued, got more than she deserved. As Matthew Parris remarked in The Times, the event itself defied easy description. He asked:Thatcher, it may be argued, got more than she deserved. As Matthew Parris remarked in The Times, the event itself defied easy description. He asked:
"Was it really a funeral? Was it a celebration? Was it a display? Was it a stupendous social occasion?""Was it really a funeral? Was it a celebration? Was it a display? Was it a stupendous social occasion?"
The Guardian's Jonathan Freedland, in pondering on its significance, decided that it amounted to the burying of an entire era, the decade of the 1980s.The Guardian's Jonathan Freedland, in pondering on its significance, decided that it amounted to the burying of an entire era, the decade of the 1980s.
In fact, Thatcher's foes – her internal Conservative party foes – turned up to bury the hatchet. Peter Oborne in the Daily Telegraph opened his piece by noting the presence of Geoffrey Howe and Michael Heseltine and went on to report that "political differences were set aside" as guests queued to enter St Paul's.In fact, Thatcher's foes – her internal Conservative party foes – turned up to bury the hatchet. Peter Oborne in the Daily Telegraph opened his piece by noting the presence of Geoffrey Howe and Michael Heseltine and went on to report that "political differences were set aside" as guests queued to enter St Paul's.
The concluding paragraph to his article, a hymn of praise to the "magnificent, indomitable, courageous and splendid woman", was the keynote to several of the front pages.The concluding paragraph to his article, a hymn of praise to the "magnificent, indomitable, courageous and splendid woman", was the keynote to several of the front pages.
"Cheered to the end" (Telegraph) was matched by The Times's "The last salute" and Metro's stunningly simple "The end." The Guardian plucked a quote from the Bishop of London's sermon: "Lying here, she is one of us"."Cheered to the end" (Telegraph) was matched by The Times's "The last salute" and Metro's stunningly simple "The end." The Guardian plucked a quote from the Bishop of London's sermon: "Lying here, she is one of us".
The Daily Mail and The Sun chose to picture a tearful Carol Thatcher: "Goodbye Mummy", said the Mail's headline while the Sun's, quoting a former Thatcher bodyguard, said: "As the curtains closed, Carol wept. I wept … it was the hardest goodbye."The Daily Mail and The Sun chose to picture a tearful Carol Thatcher: "Goodbye Mummy", said the Mail's headline while the Sun's, quoting a former Thatcher bodyguard, said: "As the curtains closed, Carol wept. I wept … it was the hardest goodbye."
The Daily Star preferred the image of Thatcher's granddaughter and the headine "Goodbye Granny". Its stablemate, the Daily Express, ran a picture of the gun carriage and selected a quote from the dispatch by its own writer, Frederick Forsyth: "We said farewell to a giant here today. It was a very British occasion. The Lady would have liked that."The Daily Star preferred the image of Thatcher's granddaughter and the headine "Goodbye Granny". Its stablemate, the Daily Express, ran a picture of the gun carriage and selected a quote from the dispatch by its own writer, Frederick Forsyth: "We said farewell to a giant here today. It was a very British occasion. The Lady would have liked that."
The Independent used a lengthy piece of purple prose overlaying a picture of the pall-bearers carrying the coffin: "There were tears and cheers; some gentle heckling and some polite flag-waving. There was the timeless dignity of a British occasion. And, in a variety of ways, that nation bid a last farewell to a political giant."The Independent used a lengthy piece of purple prose overlaying a picture of the pall-bearers carrying the coffin: "There were tears and cheers; some gentle heckling and some polite flag-waving. There was the timeless dignity of a British occasion. And, in a variety of ways, that nation bid a last farewell to a political giant."
And the Daily Mirror? Its picture showed the coffin being carried past the Queen and was headlined: "Thatcher laid to rest ... by royal appointment."And the Daily Mirror? Its picture showed the coffin being carried past the Queen and was headlined: "Thatcher laid to rest ... by royal appointment."
The Financial Times gave the story less space than all the others. Well, it wasn't a business story, after all. Its front page headline, "Curious outnumber loyalists on day of pageantry for Thatcher's farewell", was over an article by Matthew Engel in which he put the event in some historic context:The Financial Times gave the story less space than all the others. Well, it wasn't a business story, after all. Its front page headline, "Curious outnumber loyalists on day of pageantry for Thatcher's farewell", was over an article by Matthew Engel in which he put the event in some historic context:
"Thatcher was given a funeral of a dignity and status not seen in Britain since the death of the Queen Mother in 2002 and, royalty aside, since Sir Winston Churchill in 1965.""Thatcher was given a funeral of a dignity and status not seen in Britain since the death of the Queen Mother in 2002 and, royalty aside, since Sir Winston Churchill in 1965."
And his conclusion put the whole matter in perspective:And his conclusion put the whole matter in perspective:
"Margaret Thatcher's pervasive influence lives on in British politics, and perhaps in a new way, that the royal family will come to regret. Next time a prime minister dies, how does the Queen or her heir avoid attending?""Margaret Thatcher's pervasive influence lives on in British politics, and perhaps in a new way, that the royal family will come to regret. Next time a prime minister dies, how does the Queen or her heir avoid attending?"
Exactly!Exactly!
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