Scenes from the funeral of Baroness Thatcher
The
Queen has led mourners in St Paul's Cathedral at the funeral of
Baroness Thatcher, Britain's longest serving prime minister of modern
times.
Lady Thatcher's coffin was carried through streets lined by mourners and members of the three armed forces.
PM David Cameron said it was a "fitting tribute" to a major figure.
Four thousand police officers are on duty in central London, which saw large crowds along the route of her funeral procession, which was conducted with full military honours. There were reports of some protests but not the large demonstrations some had predicted.
The congregation at St Paul's included Lady Thatcher's family and all surviving British prime ministers, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Sir John Major, the current cabinet and surviving members of Lady Thatcher's governments.
There were tears, and occasional laughter, as the Bishop of London, The Right Reverend Richard Chartres, paid tribute to Lady Thatcher's forthright character in a simple service, which, at her personal request, did not include any eulogies.
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The coffin is carried on a gun carriage drawn by the King's Troop Royal Artillery
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"After the storm of a life led in the heat of political controversy, there is a great calm," said The Right Reverend Chartres.
"The storm of conflicting opinions centres on the Mrs Thatcher who became a symbolic figure - even an ism."Today the remains of the real Margaret Hilda Thatcher are here at her funeral service.
"Lying here, she is one of us, subject to the common destiny of all human beings."
Chancellor George Osborne appeared to wipe away a tear as the Bishop of London reflected on Lady Thatcher's life.
'Beloved mother' The day began with Lady Thatcher leaving Parliament for the last time as a hearse took her body from the crypt chapel of St Mary Undercroft in the Palace of Westminster to the start of the military procession at St Clement Danes in The Strand.
The union jack draped-coffin was topped with a large bunch of white flowers and a note reading: "Beloved mother, always in our hearts."
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“Start Quote
The debate about Margaret Thatcher's life and deeds is not over and a funeral and an interment will not bring it to an end”
A gun carriage drawn by six black
horses carried the coffin through the streets to St Paul's, where the
funeral service began with readings from the King James Bible by Mr
Cameron and Lady Thatcher's granddaughter Amanda, and hymns chosen by
the former prime minister.
The service ended with a blessing from the Archbishop of
Canterbury, Justin Welby, before the coffin was borne out of the
cathedral and returned to a hearse which will take it to the Royal
Hospital Chelsea ahead of a private cremation at Mortlake Crematorium in
south west London.Lady Thatcher, who was Conservative Prime Minister from 1979 until 1990, died on 8 April, following a stroke, at the age of 87.
She was accorded a ceremonial funeral with military honours, one step down from a state funeral.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Cameron said it would have been seen as extraordinary not to commemorate her life.
Asked about those who wanted to challenge his view of Lady Thatcher, the prime minister said: "Of course people have the right to disagree and take a different view.
There were more than 50 guests associated with the Falkland Islands, including veterans from the 1982 conflict with Argentina, but Argentina's ambassador to London, Alicia Castro declined an invitation to attend.
Alan Southern, a former member of the Parachute Regiment who fought in the Falklands War, said: "Lady Thatcher was an absolutely wonderful lady. She loved the armed forces and she did so much for the country, she put the 'great' back in Great Britain."
Roads closed In total, two current heads of state, 11 serving prime ministers and 17 serving foreign ministers from around the world attended.
Notable absences were former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who could not attend due to ill health, and former US first lady Nancy Reagan, who was also unable to come.
Six police forces from outside London sent specialist officers to help with escorting foreign dignitaries.
Various roads along the route were closed from 07:30 BST, and Transport for London has advised drivers to avoid Westminster and the City of London. The roads are expected to be re-opened as soon as possible following the funeral.
There were union jacks on display, as well as flags from the US, Canada, Scotland, Poland and the Falkland Islands.
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“Start Quote
Today's Conservative leadership have used this week to praise Lady Thatcher but also to bury the idea that all their party needs is a revival of her ideas and her style of leadership. ”
Wednesday's House of Commons
sitting has been delayed until 14:30 BST, meaning the cancellation of
Prime Minister's Questions, in order to allow MPs to attend - a move
approved in a Commons vote on Tuesday.
The Metropolitan Police said it had been contacted by a small
number of protesters to say they were planning action on the funeral
route in protest at the impact of some of Lady Thatcher's policies while
she was in power. BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said although Monday's bomb attack at the Boston Marathon was not believed to have led to any significant changes in security for the funeral, it was expected that the police and public would be more vigilant.
Senior officers acknowledged they had a "difficult" balance to strike between allowing people to express their opinions and maintaining order, he added.
Lady Thatcher's coffin was placed in the Palace of Westminster's Chapel of St Mary Undercroft overnight on Tuesday.
The House of Commons speaker's chaplain kept vigil in the chapel through the night.
St Paul's has published a full funeral order of service.
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