[Thatcher and Deng Xiaoping Talk (September 24, 1982)] Margaret Thatcher, former British Prime Minister, known as the "Iron Lady", is a world-famous female politician. Margaret Thatcher, who served as British Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990, was britain's first female prime minister and the longest-running british prime minister in the 20th century, and had great prestige in the eyes of the British. Margaret Thatcher died on 8 April 2013 at the Ritz Hotel, London, at the age of 87. (This is a set of photos reflecting Margaret Thatcher's funeral.)
Thatcher's funeral was not a "state funeral" but a "ceremonial funeral", which is consistent with Diana's funeral. Logically, Margaret Thatcher could have enjoyed the same "state funeral" qualification as Churchill. The reason for this was that Margaret Thatcher's last wishes stated that she did not need a state funeral, "The low-altitude flying formation in the state funeral is too wasteful." "As for the cost of the funeral, it was paid jointly by the government and Margaret Thatcher's estate, which included the cost of marching and security of the army.
[Thatcher's coffin is transported by horse-drawn gun truck to St. Paul's Cathedral] In the later years of Thatcher's reign, a series of policies were no longer popular with the British people, such as her cold attitude toward European integration and poor handling of local tax adjustments, which led to a sharp deterioration in relations with many senior ministers. However, after Thatcher left office, she remained interested in politics.
Thatcher's press spokesman, Inham, once said, "The former head has no interest in things other than politics, and if she wakes up every day and does not plan any strategic events but deals with daily chores, it will frighten her." In fact, in her later years, Mrs. Thatcher missed her husband Dennis (who died in 2011) so much that she herself showed signs of Alzheimer's disease in 2000.
Since 2002, Margaret Thatcher has gradually faded from people's sight because of her deteriorating physical condition. However, her political influence did not decline, but because of the globalization debate and the European debt crisis, it re-attracted the attention of the British people.
Shortly after Margaret Thatcher came to power, Argentina launched the Falklands War, seizing the Malvinas Islands and the Antarctic Islands. Margaret Thatcher decided to send troops decisively against the consensus, formed a wartime cabinet, and won a complete victory in the war after paying a heavy price, saving the face of Britain, and thus gaining great prestige.
[Queen of England and her husband Prince Philip arrive at St. Paul's Cathedral] Here is a slight difference between "ceremonial funerals" and "state funerals", the latter of which is limited to British monarchs and particularly prominent figures. The Queen of England attended Thatcher's funeral, which was an exception, as the Queen generally attended only funerals for those associated with the Royal Family.
Thatcher's funeral was full of military elements, the salutatorians were veterans of the Falklands War, and the guns used at the funeral were all guns used in the Battle of the Falklands. On the day of the funeral, in addition to the flag in front of the British government department to lower the flag to half-mast for her, even the iconic building of London and even the British building Big Ben is muted to mourn For Margaret Thatcher.
[Thatcher's coffin is carried into St. Paul's Cathedral] Although the British have great respect for Thatcher, her funeral has also caused some controversy, such as the Labor MP who said, "The Luftwaffe can't silence 'Big Ben', so I can't imagine she would approve of this idea." But personally, I'm not worried because it doesn't cost money. What I'm worried about is the cost of the funeral. Politicians should not enjoy state funerals, not even half of the standards for state funerals, not now, and not in the future. ”
According to reports, 2,300 guests attended the funeral site of St. Paul's Cathedral, including 11 current prime ministers, all members of the British cabinet, two heads of state and 17 foreign ministers.
After Thatcher's death, Cameron commented, "Today is a truly sad day for our country... As Britain's first female Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher managed to cope with all odds. Most importantly, she led and saved our country. ”
After Thatcher's funeral, the body was cremated in Motle lake in south-west London, and the ashes will be buried at the cemetery of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, England, with her deceased husband Dennis.