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Thatcher funeral to match theatre of Churchill's – but differences are stark Thatcher funeral to match theatre of Churchill's – but differences are stark
(6 months later)
It was, Patrick O'Donovan noted in the Observer, as if "the City was stopped and was turned into a theatre, and it was all performed as a drama that all men understand". The funeral cortege moved slowly from the Palace of Westminster to St Paul's cathedral, through packed streets lined with silent troops, "their heads bowed over their automatic rifles in ceremonious grief". Beneath heraldic banners and attended by straight-backed officers, the gun carriage carrying the body of the former prime minister "moved, huge and red with the union flag, past hotels and steamy restaurants and newspaper offices and pubs" on its solemn journey to the cathedral.It was, Patrick O'Donovan noted in the Observer, as if "the City was stopped and was turned into a theatre, and it was all performed as a drama that all men understand". The funeral cortege moved slowly from the Palace of Westminster to St Paul's cathedral, through packed streets lined with silent troops, "their heads bowed over their automatic rifles in ceremonious grief". Beneath heraldic banners and attended by straight-backed officers, the gun carriage carrying the body of the former prime minister "moved, huge and red with the union flag, past hotels and steamy restaurants and newspaper offices and pubs" on its solemn journey to the cathedral.
For those who witnessed the funeral of Winston Churchill on 30 January 1965, there will be a great deal in Margaret Thatcher's funeral on Wednesday that will be very familiar. Like the wartime leader, who also died from a stroke, Thatcher's coffin will travel up Ludgate Hill to St Paul's in a display of full military pomp, accompanied by bands playing slow laments, their drums covered with black cloths. Political leaders will be joined by dignitaries from around the world in paying their respects, as her body is carried with great dignity by ten soldiers up the west steps of the cathedral. The bells of Big Ben will be hushed for the first time since Churchill was laid to rest.For those who witnessed the funeral of Winston Churchill on 30 January 1965, there will be a great deal in Margaret Thatcher's funeral on Wednesday that will be very familiar. Like the wartime leader, who also died from a stroke, Thatcher's coffin will travel up Ludgate Hill to St Paul's in a display of full military pomp, accompanied by bands playing slow laments, their drums covered with black cloths. Political leaders will be joined by dignitaries from around the world in paying their respects, as her body is carried with great dignity by ten soldiers up the west steps of the cathedral. The bells of Big Ben will be hushed for the first time since Churchill was laid to rest.
Though the baroness's body will not formally lie in state to allow members of the public to file past – as the wartime leader's did, attracting more than 300,000 people to Westminster Hall – at her own request her coffin will spend the night before its funeral and cremation in the medieval parliamentary chapel of St Mary Undercroft to allow MPs and peers to pay their respects.Though the baroness's body will not formally lie in state to allow members of the public to file past – as the wartime leader's did, attracting more than 300,000 people to Westminster Hall – at her own request her coffin will spend the night before its funeral and cremation in the medieval parliamentary chapel of St Mary Undercroft to allow MPs and peers to pay their respects.
And critically, just as she was 48 years ago, the Queen will be there, the first prime ministerial funeral she has attended since then, during which no fewer than six prime ministers have died – Anthony Eden, Harold Macmillan, Alec Douglas-Home, Harold Wilson, Edward Heath and James Callaghan.And critically, just as she was 48 years ago, the Queen will be there, the first prime ministerial funeral she has attended since then, during which no fewer than six prime ministers have died – Anthony Eden, Harold Macmillan, Alec Douglas-Home, Harold Wilson, Edward Heath and James Callaghan.
The two events may be similar in scale, but while Wednesday's obsequies may – to the chagrin of many of her political opponents – look and feel like a state funeral, the absence of a parliamentary motion declaring it such means that this is merely a ceremonial event, albeit one that will shut down most of central London, silence Big Ben for the duration of the service and cost the nation the large proportion of an estimated £10m (the wartime PM's ceremony, by contrast, cost £48,000).The two events may be similar in scale, but while Wednesday's obsequies may – to the chagrin of many of her political opponents – look and feel like a state funeral, the absence of a parliamentary motion declaring it such means that this is merely a ceremonial event, albeit one that will shut down most of central London, silence Big Ben for the duration of the service and cost the nation the large proportion of an estimated £10m (the wartime PM's ceremony, by contrast, cost £48,000).
Churchill's was the last state funeral seen in this country, which are generally reserved for monarchs and only rarely extended to "exceptionally distinguished persons". The Duke of Wellington and Lord Palmerston, both former prime ministers, received the honour, as did Gladstone in 1898 (in calling for parliament to grant Gladstone a state funeral, Balfour, the then Conservative leader and the former Liberal PM's political opponent, expressed his faith that "none of us will find even a momentary difficulty in forgetting any of the controversial aspects of his life").Churchill's was the last state funeral seen in this country, which are generally reserved for monarchs and only rarely extended to "exceptionally distinguished persons". The Duke of Wellington and Lord Palmerston, both former prime ministers, received the honour, as did Gladstone in 1898 (in calling for parliament to grant Gladstone a state funeral, Balfour, the then Conservative leader and the former Liberal PM's political opponent, expressed his faith that "none of us will find even a momentary difficulty in forgetting any of the controversial aspects of his life").
Though 200,000 people had filed past her body during three days' lying in state and a million were estimated to have lined the route of her cortege, the funeral of the Queen Mother on 9 April 2002 was not a formal state occasion. The Tenor Bell of Westminster Abbey, where the funeral service was held before her body was taken for burial in Windsor Castle, tolled 101 times, once for each year of her life. A campaign by some Tory MPs for a similar tribute for Thatcher has not, so far, met success.Though 200,000 people had filed past her body during three days' lying in state and a million were estimated to have lined the route of her cortege, the funeral of the Queen Mother on 9 April 2002 was not a formal state occasion. The Tenor Bell of Westminster Abbey, where the funeral service was held before her body was taken for burial in Windsor Castle, tolled 101 times, once for each year of her life. A campaign by some Tory MPs for a similar tribute for Thatcher has not, so far, met success.
The funeral of the Princess of Wales was a ceremonial rather than a state event, contrary to the wishes at the time of many of the 32.8 million Britons who watched the event on TV. Diana's funeral, unique in many ways, was notable not least for the route of her procession – past Buckingham Palace, where the waiting Queen bowed her head – and the length of time it took. The gun carriage bearing her body and followed by her family and 500 representatives of her favourite charities took almost two hours to process from Kensington Palace to Westminster Abbey. Thatcher's procession from the RAF church of St Clement Danes to St Paul's will take 19 minutes.The funeral of the Princess of Wales was a ceremonial rather than a state event, contrary to the wishes at the time of many of the 32.8 million Britons who watched the event on TV. Diana's funeral, unique in many ways, was notable not least for the route of her procession – past Buckingham Palace, where the waiting Queen bowed her head – and the length of time it took. The gun carriage bearing her body and followed by her family and 500 representatives of her favourite charities took almost two hours to process from Kensington Palace to Westminster Abbey. Thatcher's procession from the RAF church of St Clement Danes to St Paul's will take 19 minutes.
Those most strongly opposed to the lavish ceremonies granted to Lady Thatcher – who include the Daily Telegraph's Peter Oborne and the Bishop of Grantham as well as political opponents – argue that nothing she achieved in her career gives her the status of Churchill and therefore deserves a funeral that bears such close comparison to his. Several have pointed to the modest funeral rites for Clement Attlee, a more transformational leader of Britain, who died two years after Churchill and whose sendoff at the ancient Temple Church was described by the Guardian as "a simple, even austere funeral service" that "epitomised Lord Attlee's love of simplicity and directness". Though the then prime minister Harold Wilson was present, only 150 others attendded. His ashes were later buried at Westminster Abbey.Those most strongly opposed to the lavish ceremonies granted to Lady Thatcher – who include the Daily Telegraph's Peter Oborne and the Bishop of Grantham as well as political opponents – argue that nothing she achieved in her career gives her the status of Churchill and therefore deserves a funeral that bears such close comparison to his. Several have pointed to the modest funeral rites for Clement Attlee, a more transformational leader of Britain, who died two years after Churchill and whose sendoff at the ancient Temple Church was described by the Guardian as "a simple, even austere funeral service" that "epitomised Lord Attlee's love of simplicity and directness". Though the then prime minister Harold Wilson was present, only 150 others attendded. His ashes were later buried at Westminster Abbey.
But while Wednesday's event will be memorable in its pomp, what may be most striking are the stark differences to Churchill's funeral. When Parliament met in 1965 to pay tribute to the dead former leader, it immediately adjourned in respect. And where Churchill's coffin united the waiting crowds in "an extraordinary silence that could not be broken even by the bands and the rhythmic feet", the Thatcher family and other mourners are unlikely to enjoy a similar tribute.But while Wednesday's event will be memorable in its pomp, what may be most striking are the stark differences to Churchill's funeral. When Parliament met in 1965 to pay tribute to the dead former leader, it immediately adjourned in respect. And where Churchill's coffin united the waiting crowds in "an extraordinary silence that could not be broken even by the bands and the rhythmic feet", the Thatcher family and other mourners are unlikely to enjoy a similar tribute.
A group of protesters have notified the Metropolitan police of their intent to turn their back on the passing cortege as an act of political dissent; officers are braced for the possibility of more vocal and potentially more troublesome protests along the route.A group of protesters have notified the Metropolitan police of their intent to turn their back on the passing cortege as an act of political dissent; officers are braced for the possibility of more vocal and potentially more troublesome protests along the route.
After his funeral service, Churchill's body was loaded onto a barge to be transported along the Thames to Waterloo station and then to Blenheim; as it passed them, in the most moving moment of a day of genuinely national mourning, the workers in the dockyards lining the river silently lowered their cranes one by one. Those industries are gone, but a similar tribute to Thatcher from today's industrial workers is difficult to conceive.After his funeral service, Churchill's body was loaded onto a barge to be transported along the Thames to Waterloo station and then to Blenheim; as it passed them, in the most moving moment of a day of genuinely national mourning, the workers in the dockyards lining the river silently lowered their cranes one by one. Those industries are gone, but a similar tribute to Thatcher from today's industrial workers is difficult to conceive.
"This was the last time that such a thing could happen," wrote O'Donovan of Churchill's extraordinary funeral. "This was an act of mourning for the imperial past. This marked the final act in Britain's greatness. This was a great gesture of self-pity and after this the coldness of reality and the status of Scandinavia." To her friends and supporters, the woman who took power 14 years later defied this prediction – making her, uniquely, worthy of a similar sendoff."This was the last time that such a thing could happen," wrote O'Donovan of Churchill's extraordinary funeral. "This was an act of mourning for the imperial past. This marked the final act in Britain's greatness. This was a great gesture of self-pity and after this the coldness of reality and the status of Scandinavia." To her friends and supporters, the woman who took power 14 years later defied this prediction – making her, uniquely, worthy of a similar sendoff.
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