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| Margaret Thatcher funeral: crowds turn out to pay respects | Margaret Thatcher funeral: crowds turn out to pay respects |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Crowds have turned out to pay their respects to Lady Thatcher as the prime minister, David Cameron, defended her ceremonial funeral as a "fitting" tribute to a major national figure. | Crowds have turned out to pay their respects to Lady Thatcher as the prime minister, David Cameron, defended her ceremonial funeral as a "fitting" tribute to a major national figure. |
| As the first of more than 2,300 guests began arriving at St Paul's Cathedral before 9am, many hundreds of spectators gathered in the light drizzle outside, amid a sea of union flags. Some were equipped with folding chairs, and had camped out overnight to witness the event. | As the first of more than 2,300 guests began arriving at St Paul's Cathedral before 9am, many hundreds of spectators gathered in the light drizzle outside, amid a sea of union flags. Some were equipped with folding chairs, and had camped out overnight to witness the event. |
| Dignitaries from 170 countries are attending the service, Downing Street said, including 11 serving prime ministers and 17 serving foreign ministers from across the globe. The Queen will lead the mourners. | |
| Thatcher's body had rested overnight at the chapel of St Mary Undercroft at the Palace of Westminster where MPs, peers, and those who had worked with her were able to pay their respects following a short private service. | Thatcher's body had rested overnight at the chapel of St Mary Undercroft at the Palace of Westminster where MPs, peers, and those who had worked with her were able to pay their respects following a short private service. |
| Cameron hosted a dinner for a small group of guests at 10 Downing Street on Tuesday night. Those in attendance included the Canadian prime minister, Stephen Harper, former US vice-president Dick Cheney and former US secretary of state James Baker. | |
| The coffin was due to be moved by hearse from Westminster to St Clement Danes, the RAF church, in the Strand, where it will be transferred to a gun carriage and borne to St Paul's, escorted by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery. | |
| In an interview for BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Cameron defended the ceremonial funeral as a fitting tribute to a major national figure, and urged political opponents to show respect during the event. | |
| "I think other countries in the world would think Britain had got it completely wrong if we didn't mark this in a proper way," he said. | "I think other countries in the world would think Britain had got it completely wrong if we didn't mark this in a proper way," he said. |
| Thatcher's coffin is expected to arrive at St Paul's at 11am, when the funeral service will begin. It is due to last just under an hour. | |
| At Thatcher's request prior to her death, Cameron will recite a lesson from the King James Bible. | |
| The service is a traditional affair and includes a selection of well-known hymns, including Charles Wesley's Love Divine, All Loves Excelling, as well as poems by Wordsworth and TS Eliot. | The service is a traditional affair and includes a selection of well-known hymns, including Charles Wesley's Love Divine, All Loves Excelling, as well as poems by Wordsworth and TS Eliot. |
| After the service, the coffin will travel by hearse to the Royal Hospital Chelsea and a private cremation at Mortlake crematorium will take place in the evening. | After the service, the coffin will travel by hearse to the Royal Hospital Chelsea and a private cremation at Mortlake crematorium will take place in the evening. |
| As the numbers outside St Paul's swelled throughout the morning, protesters were thin on the ground. Most were there to pay tribute, and some had travelled from afar. | As the numbers outside St Paul's swelled throughout the morning, protesters were thin on the ground. Most were there to pay tribute, and some had travelled from afar. |
| American Robert Cunningham, 29, diverted his holiday in Norway to make it to the funeral. He said: "She was a foreign prime minister, regardless of the good, bad or otherwise. | American Robert Cunningham, 29, diverted his holiday in Norway to make it to the funeral. He said: "She was a foreign prime minister, regardless of the good, bad or otherwise. |
| "She did a lot for our country, a lot for the relationship between the UK and the US. Respect is due to the office." | |
| Margaret Kittle, 79, said she had travelled from Canada for the funeral as soon as she heard of Thatcher's death, taking up her position outside the historic landmark at 8am on Tuesday. | |
| "It was a cold night. The damp goes through you," she said. "But I always said I would come to the UK for Margaret Thatcher's funeral because I respect her. | |
| "I think she did a lot for the world. She was an intelligent lady – a chemist and a lawyer – and a lovely lady as well. Apparently, she always made her husband Denis's breakfast." | "I think she did a lot for the world. She was an intelligent lady – a chemist and a lawyer – and a lovely lady as well. Apparently, she always made her husband Denis's breakfast." |
| Flags were lowered to half mast above Downing Street and other government buildings. | |
| Outside Downing Street, the first spectators began gathering as early as 6.30am. "Mrs Thatcher was a gutsy woman, especially over the Falklands," said Trevor Fearson, 83, who with his wife Doreen, 85, had travelled from west Kensington in London. | Outside Downing Street, the first spectators began gathering as early as 6.30am. "Mrs Thatcher was a gutsy woman, especially over the Falklands," said Trevor Fearson, 83, who with his wife Doreen, 85, had travelled from west Kensington in London. |
| "She was a good prime minister," said his wife. "At the end she didn't have the backing of her ministers. I hope they feel badly about that now, but I doubt it." | "She was a good prime minister," said his wife. "At the end she didn't have the backing of her ministers. I hope they feel badly about that now, but I doubt it." |
| Security was intense with more than 4,000 police on duty. Teams of officers arrived on the Strand at 7am and had closed the road to traffic by 8am. | Security was intense with more than 4,000 police on duty. Teams of officers arrived on the Strand at 7am and had closed the road to traffic by 8am. |
| Officers would be placed at intervals of 10 metres – or seven barriers – along the whole route, with more at crossings, one said. | Officers would be placed at intervals of 10 metres – or seven barriers – along the whole route, with more at crossings, one said. |
| Others patrolled the road on motorbike and horseback, with more on the pavements on foot. | Others patrolled the road on motorbike and horseback, with more on the pavements on foot. |
| A small group of protesters arrived to demonstrate against the "glorifying" of the funeral and cuts to the welfare state. | A small group of protesters arrived to demonstrate against the "glorifying" of the funeral and cuts to the welfare state. |
| Dave Winslow, 22, an anthropology student from Durham, was joined by three others at Ludgate Circus, next to St Paul's. | Dave Winslow, 22, an anthropology student from Durham, was joined by three others at Ludgate Circus, next to St Paul's. |
| Holding an acrylic placard reading "rest of us in poverty" and wearing a T-shirt with the messages "power to the people" and "society does exist", he said up to 200 demonstrators were expected. | Holding an acrylic placard reading "rest of us in poverty" and wearing a T-shirt with the messages "power to the people" and "society does exist", he said up to 200 demonstrators were expected. |
| "We plan to turn our backs," he said. | "We plan to turn our backs," he said. |
| "We want to maintain a dignified protest. It's counterproductive to cat-call and sing Ding Dong the Witch Is Dead." | |
| He added: "The government wants to glorify this. It is a massive propaganda campaign to idolise Margaret Thatcher." | He added: "The government wants to glorify this. It is a massive propaganda campaign to idolise Margaret Thatcher." |
| Patricia Welsh, a 69-year-old retired youth worker, joined the Facebook-organised protest at the junction of Ludgate Hill and Ludgate Circus. | Patricia Welsh, a 69-year-old retired youth worker, joined the Facebook-organised protest at the junction of Ludgate Hill and Ludgate Circus. |
| She said: "I am absolutely furious that the prime minister, David Cameron, has decided to spend £10m on a funeral when normal people are having to face cutbacks, libraries are closing and the NHS is being cut – for the funeral of a Conservative woman. | |
| "Like anyone else she deserves a decent funeral, but not at the expense of the taxpayer." | "Like anyone else she deserves a decent funeral, but not at the expense of the taxpayer." |