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| Amanda Thatcher emerges centre-stage at Lady Thatcher's funeral | Amanda Thatcher emerges centre-stage at Lady Thatcher's funeral |
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| It may have been a very British occasion, but Lady Thatcher's 20-year-old granddaughter Amanda struck a distinctly American note at the former prime minister's funeral, reading a lesson from the Bible that warned in a Texan twang against "the rulers of the darkness of this world" and "spiritual wickedness in high places". | It may have been a very British occasion, but Lady Thatcher's 20-year-old granddaughter Amanda struck a distinctly American note at the former prime minister's funeral, reading a lesson from the Bible that warned in a Texan twang against "the rulers of the darkness of this world" and "spiritual wickedness in high places". |
| The US college student, the younger child of Lady Thatcher's son Sir Mark and his first wife Diane Burgdorf, has, like her 24-year-old brother, Michael, led a discreet life out of the spotlight until now, but her part in her grandmother's funeral will bring her to the attention of a global television audience of millions. | The US college student, the younger child of Lady Thatcher's son Sir Mark and his first wife Diane Burgdorf, has, like her 24-year-old brother, Michael, led a discreet life out of the spotlight until now, but her part in her grandmother's funeral will bring her to the attention of a global television audience of millions. |
| Wearing a black coat and dress and wide-brimmed hat with a curling bow, the 20-year-old who was raised in South Africa and the US read slowly from the King James version of Ephesians chapter 6, a martial sounding text that calls on believers to "put on the whole armour of God". | Wearing a black coat and dress and wide-brimmed hat with a curling bow, the 20-year-old who was raised in South Africa and the US read slowly from the King James version of Ephesians chapter 6, a martial sounding text that calls on believers to "put on the whole armour of God". |
| She and her brother, who sat in the front row of St Paul's Cathedral between their father and stepmother and their aunt Carol and her partner, had earlier preceded Lady Thatcher's coffin into the church, carrying cushions bearing the insignias of the Order of the Garter and the Order of Merit. A second lesson was read by the prime minister, David Cameron. After the service Tory MP Rob Wilson tweeted that he had congratulated Amanda on her speech and that she had replied: "It's kind of in the blood." | She and her brother, who sat in the front row of St Paul's Cathedral between their father and stepmother and their aunt Carol and her partner, had earlier preceded Lady Thatcher's coffin into the church, carrying cushions bearing the insignias of the Order of the Garter and the Order of Merit. A second lesson was read by the prime minister, David Cameron. After the service Tory MP Rob Wilson tweeted that he had congratulated Amanda on her speech and that she had replied: "It's kind of in the blood." |
| Lady Thatcher adored her grandchildren, telling a magazine interviewer in the late 90s that her greatest delight was "when my daughter-in-law sends me photographs of the grandchildren. Apart from seeing them in the flesh, that is the greatest pleasure I have in the whole year, far exceeding everything else." | Lady Thatcher adored her grandchildren, telling a magazine interviewer in the late 90s that her greatest delight was "when my daughter-in-law sends me photographs of the grandchildren. Apart from seeing them in the flesh, that is the greatest pleasure I have in the whole year, far exceeding everything else." |
| Portraits of Amanda and Michael, along with a framed portrait of the former prime minister's late husband Denis, had pride of place on the mantelpiece of her Belgravia home. | Portraits of Amanda and Michael, along with a framed portrait of the former prime minister's late husband Denis, had pride of place on the mantelpiece of her Belgravia home. |
| Amanda and Michael are described by friends as modest, unshowy young people, both of whom, under Diane's influence, are dedicated evangelical Christians and social and political conservatives. | Amanda and Michael are described by friends as modest, unshowy young people, both of whom, under Diane's influence, are dedicated evangelical Christians and social and political conservatives. |
| Amanda Thatcher is now studying at the University of Richmond in Virginia; her school reports show she was a talented sportswoman, excelling in athletics, and was voted "most likely to change the world" by her high school peers. | Amanda Thatcher is now studying at the University of Richmond in Virginia; her school reports show she was a talented sportswoman, excelling in athletics, and was voted "most likely to change the world" by her high school peers. |
| Adryana Boyne, a family friend, wrote this week that she was "an extraordinary woman of faith with a melodious voice and a kind heart (and as my son Samuel says, she bakes good chocolate lava cakes)". Friends say she has carried out Christian missionary work in China in recent years. | Adryana Boyne, a family friend, wrote this week that she was "an extraordinary woman of faith with a melodious voice and a kind heart (and as my son Samuel says, she bakes good chocolate lava cakes)". Friends say she has carried out Christian missionary work in China in recent years. |
| Like his grandmother, Michael studied chemistry at college, and works in a pharmacy in the wealthy Dallas suburb where the siblings still live with their mother and her second husband. A talented running back for his school's American football team, he recently served on the board of Voces, a pro-Republican body offering what it calls "a voice for conservative Hispanics", of which Boyne is the director. | Like his grandmother, Michael studied chemistry at college, and works in a pharmacy in the wealthy Dallas suburb where the siblings still live with their mother and her second husband. A talented running back for his school's American football team, he recently served on the board of Voces, a pro-Republican body offering what it calls "a voice for conservative Hispanics", of which Boyne is the director. |
| "Michael Thatcher has always been so discreet and prudent about his relationship with Lady Thatcher," she said, calling him and his sister "humble and kind". | "Michael Thatcher has always been so discreet and prudent about his relationship with Lady Thatcher," she said, calling him and his sister "humble and kind". |
| Though both Michael and Amanda were born in the US and hold joint American and British citizenship, they spent much of their childhoods in South Africa. In 1995, when both children were under six, their mother Diane agreed to move the family to Cape Town after her husband lost money in investments and was sued by a former business partner. She and the children settled well in a large and luxurious house in Cape Town. There were cricket and hockey sessions for Michael and riding lessons for Amanda, while their mother threw herself into Bible study groups. | Though both Michael and Amanda were born in the US and hold joint American and British citizenship, they spent much of their childhoods in South Africa. In 1995, when both children were under six, their mother Diane agreed to move the family to Cape Town after her husband lost money in investments and was sued by a former business partner. She and the children settled well in a large and luxurious house in Cape Town. There were cricket and hockey sessions for Michael and riding lessons for Amanda, while their mother threw herself into Bible study groups. |
| Diane and Lady Thatcher were close, and the former prime minister and Sir Denis spent most Christmases with the family, at least until she became unable to travel. | Diane and Lady Thatcher were close, and the former prime minister and Sir Denis spent most Christmases with the family, at least until she became unable to travel. |
| The marriage had been under strain almost from its beginning, however, and after Mark was arrested in 2004 for his involvement in an attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea, Diane moved with the children back to the wealthy Dallas suburb of Highland Park, close to her own parents. The couple later went through an acrimonious and public divorce and both later remarried. Amanda and Michael live with their mother and her second husband, a multimillionaire sports publisher. | The marriage had been under strain almost from its beginning, however, and after Mark was arrested in 2004 for his involvement in an attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea, Diane moved with the children back to the wealthy Dallas suburb of Highland Park, close to her own parents. The couple later went through an acrimonious and public divorce and both later remarried. Amanda and Michael live with their mother and her second husband, a multimillionaire sports publisher. |
| By all accounts, the children thrived on their return to Texas, losing their distinctive South African accents in the process. But the move also cut them off from their father, whose conviction over the coup attempt bars him from entering the US. | By all accounts, the children thrived on their return to Texas, losing their distinctive South African accents in the process. But the move also cut them off from their father, whose conviction over the coup attempt bars him from entering the US. |
| When aged 12, the Sunday Times reported, Amanda wrote to President Bush asking him to intervene. "You know how you feel about your daughters? I want my Daddy back in America." She did not receive a reply, the paper reported. | When aged 12, the Sunday Times reported, Amanda wrote to President Bush asking him to intervene. "You know how you feel about your daughters? I want my Daddy back in America." She did not receive a reply, the paper reported. |
| "I'm finding it [hard] to forgive him," Diane wrote the following year, "for the pain he has caused our children." Though Mark was accompanied by his second wife, Sarah, Diane also attended the funeral. | "I'm finding it [hard] to forgive him," Diane wrote the following year, "for the pain he has caused our children." Though Mark was accompanied by his second wife, Sarah, Diane also attended the funeral. |
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