Baroness Thatcher's Funeral At St Paul's

Baroness Thatcher's has been given a ceremonial funeral at St Paul's Cathedral as Britain remembered a famous but divisive prime minister.

The Queen, her presence effectively raising it to a state event, joined dignitaries from around the world and all Lady Thatcher's successors as prime minister.

It is the first time the monarch has attended the funeral service of a former prime minister since Sir Winston Churchill's state ceremony in 1965.

The UK's first female prime minister was given full military honours, her coffin brought to St Paul's on a gun carriage drawn by six black horses.

Inside the famous church, more than 2,300 guests paid tribute, led by the former politician's children Mark and Carol and her two grandchildren.

Lady Thatcher's children Mark and Carol inside St Paul's

Sitting a few rows behind them among today's parliamentarians was Chancellor George Osborne, who had tears running down his face during the ceremony.

The service was conducted with more pomp and ceremony than any funeral seen in London since the death of the Queen Mother in 2002.

Lady Thatcher had planned it to the last detail and at her express wish, her granddaughter Amanda read the first lesson.

David Cameron read from the Gospel and the Bishop of London gave an address which deliberately steered clear of talking about her political legacy.

The gun carriage travelling along Fleet Street

He said: "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.

"There is an important place for debating policies and legacy; for assessing the impact of political decisions on the everyday lives of individuals and communities.

"Parliament held a frank debate last week - but here and today is neither the time nor the place."

Chancellor George Osborne weeping during the service

The ceremony followed a sombre procession through central London, which was on lockdown with 4,000 police officers on duty in case of any unrest.

Many among those lining the streets appeared to be Thatcher supporters, although others booed and performed a silent protest as the coffin passed.

Big Ben fell silent at 9.45am and will not chime again until 1pm, in a mark of respect from the institution that made Lady Thatcher's name.

Her coffin then left the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft in Westminster, where it had rested overnight according to her wishes, at 10am.

The hearse passing by the gates of Downing Street

People applauded as the hearse made its way past Parliament and Downing Street, which was the politician's home for more than a decade.

A hand-written card from her two children placed in a single large white flower arrangement resting on the coffin read: "Beloved mother, always in our hearts".

Transferred to a gun carriage outside St Clement Danes church, it was then escorted by hundreds of troops to St Paul's for the service.

The 1.5ton carriage travelled at 70 steps per minute - its wheels changed from steel to rubber so that it ran more quietly along the road.

More than 700 members of the armed forces are taking part in the event in recognition of Lady Thatcher's achievements in the Falklands War.

Crowds gathered along the route through London

Security across the capital was tight but there appeared to be far smaller crowds than expected, with some areas where barriers were erected almost empty.

Ahead of the service and amid anger at taxpayers picking up most of the funeral bill, David Cameron insisted it would be a "fitting tribute".

The Prime Minister said that by winning the big arguments, his predecessor had actually settled divisions and declared: "In a way, we are all Thatcherites now."

He added: "She was the first woman prime minister, she served for longer in the job that anyone for 150 years, she achieved some extraordinary things in her life."

Supporter John Loughrey, from Wandsworth, said: "She saved Britain. She gave my father the opportunity to buy his council house.

"We had all sorts of problems and Mrs Thatcher put it all back together again. We needed the Iron Lady."

Margaret Kittle, 79, had travelled all the way from Canada to pay her respects.

She said: "My family came to Churchill's and I wanted to come to Maggie's because they are the two greats of history. We will never see the likes of Mrs Thatcher again."

But student David Winslow, 22, was among the protesters planning to turn their backs as the coffin past.

"The message is that spending £10m on such a divisive figure in times of austerity, especially when austerity is being imposed on the poor, is wrong, especially when harm is being caused to the disabled and the NHS," he said.

There was also tension between supporters and protesters near the Royal Courts of Justice, where pensioner Phil Williams held a banner saying "Rest in Shame".

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