Fears are growing over the concern of Margaret Thatcher's health after she has made no public appearances for nearly two months.
Baroness Thatcher, 85, who was Prime Minister between 1979 and 1990, as well as being Britain's first woman PM, was invited to the Royal Wedding but had to turn down the invitation over her health.
The next event in her diary is the unveiling of a statue to her ally and close friend, former US President Ronald Reagan, in London on July 4, but there are fears that she could also miss that.
Thatcher spent two weeks in hospital in November, said to be suffering from a ‘flu bug’. In fact, she had polymyalgia rheumatica, a syndrome which causes muscle inflammation in the neck and shoulders and was in severe pain for several months.
It's also been revealed that Thatcher, who many believe to be Britain's best peacetime Prime Minister of the 20th Century, is to get a State Funeral upon her death. Despite the fact that the Queen disliked Thatcher immensely when Thatcher was in power, Elizabeth II has given her blessing to the funeral arrangements in recognition of Thatcher's reversal of Britain's decline after the War took its toll.
It will take place at St Paul's Cathedral in London and she will be the first British PM to have a State Funeral since Churchill in 1965.
State funerals in Britain are usually reserved for monarchs, but the reigning monarch can, if he or she wishes, order that a state funeral be awarded to national heroes, such as Nelson and Churchill.
Four great Britons were given State funerals in the 19th Century: Nelson, Wellington, Gladstone and Palmerston.
Fears grow over 'frail' Baroness Thatcher after no public appearance for nearly two months
By Simon Walters
8th May 2011
Daily Mail
Troubled time: Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is in severe pain, according to close friends
Friends of Margaret Thatcher last night voiced their concern over the ex-Prime Minister’s growing frailty.
Baroness Thatcher turned down an invitation to the Royal Wedding because of her health and has made no public appearances for nearly two months.
The next event in her diary is the unveiling of a statue to her ally and close friend, former US President Ronald Reagan, in London on July 4.
But there are fears that she could also miss that. She suffers increasingly from memory loss after a number of strokes in recent years.
Lady Thatcher, 85, spent two weeks in hospital in November, said to be suffering from a ‘flu bug’. In fact, The Mail on Sunday can disclose that she had polymyalgia rheumatica, a syndrome which causes muscle inflammation in the neck and shoulders.
Friends say she was in severe pain for months and has only just fully recovered from it.
The Mail on Sunday has also learned that the Government will meet the full cost of a State funeral for Baroness Thatcher.
It will take place at St Paul’s Cathedral, at Lady Thatcher’s request, though it has not yet been decided if she will lie in state in Westminster Hall.
She will be the first British Prime Minister since Sir Winston Churchill in 1965 to be afforded such an honour. He was the only former Premier to have a State funeral in the last century.
There were four non-Royal State funerals in the 19th Century – Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington and two former Prime Ministers, Lord Palmerston and William Gladstone.
Arrangements for the funeral are being led by Sir Malcolm Ross, the Queen’s former Master of the Royal Household, who has managed every Royal funeral since 1997.
The Queen has given her blessing to the funeral arrangements in recognition of the way Lady Thatcher reversed the UK’s post-Second World War decline, being Britain’s first woman Prime Minister, winning three Elections from 1979 to 1990 – and the Falklands War.
State funerals are reserved for monarchs but may, by order of the reigning monarch, be granted to other national heroes, such as Lord Nelson.
dailymail.co.uk
Baroness Thatcher, 85, who was Prime Minister between 1979 and 1990, as well as being Britain's first woman PM, was invited to the Royal Wedding but had to turn down the invitation over her health.
The next event in her diary is the unveiling of a statue to her ally and close friend, former US President Ronald Reagan, in London on July 4, but there are fears that she could also miss that.
Thatcher spent two weeks in hospital in November, said to be suffering from a ‘flu bug’. In fact, she had polymyalgia rheumatica, a syndrome which causes muscle inflammation in the neck and shoulders and was in severe pain for several months.
It's also been revealed that Thatcher, who many believe to be Britain's best peacetime Prime Minister of the 20th Century, is to get a State Funeral upon her death. Despite the fact that the Queen disliked Thatcher immensely when Thatcher was in power, Elizabeth II has given her blessing to the funeral arrangements in recognition of Thatcher's reversal of Britain's decline after the War took its toll.
It will take place at St Paul's Cathedral in London and she will be the first British PM to have a State Funeral since Churchill in 1965.
State funerals in Britain are usually reserved for monarchs, but the reigning monarch can, if he or she wishes, order that a state funeral be awarded to national heroes, such as Nelson and Churchill.
Four great Britons were given State funerals in the 19th Century: Nelson, Wellington, Gladstone and Palmerston.
Fears grow over 'frail' Baroness Thatcher after no public appearance for nearly two months
By Simon Walters
8th May 2011
Daily Mail
Troubled time: Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is in severe pain, according to close friends
Friends of Margaret Thatcher last night voiced their concern over the ex-Prime Minister’s growing frailty.
Baroness Thatcher turned down an invitation to the Royal Wedding because of her health and has made no public appearances for nearly two months.
The next event in her diary is the unveiling of a statue to her ally and close friend, former US President Ronald Reagan, in London on July 4.
But there are fears that she could also miss that. She suffers increasingly from memory loss after a number of strokes in recent years.
Lady Thatcher, 85, spent two weeks in hospital in November, said to be suffering from a ‘flu bug’. In fact, The Mail on Sunday can disclose that she had polymyalgia rheumatica, a syndrome which causes muscle inflammation in the neck and shoulders.
Friends say she was in severe pain for months and has only just fully recovered from it.
The Mail on Sunday has also learned that the Government will meet the full cost of a State funeral for Baroness Thatcher.
It will take place at St Paul’s Cathedral, at Lady Thatcher’s request, though it has not yet been decided if she will lie in state in Westminster Hall.
She will be the first British Prime Minister since Sir Winston Churchill in 1965 to be afforded such an honour. He was the only former Premier to have a State funeral in the last century.
There were four non-Royal State funerals in the 19th Century – Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington and two former Prime Ministers, Lord Palmerston and William Gladstone.
Arrangements for the funeral are being led by Sir Malcolm Ross, the Queen’s former Master of the Royal Household, who has managed every Royal funeral since 1997.
The Queen has given her blessing to the funeral arrangements in recognition of the way Lady Thatcher reversed the UK’s post-Second World War decline, being Britain’s first woman Prime Minister, winning three Elections from 1979 to 1990 – and the Falklands War.
State funerals are reserved for monarchs but may, by order of the reigning monarch, be granted to other national heroes, such as Lord Nelson.
dailymail.co.uk
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