Mark Thatcher, the 59-year-old son of the late-Margaret Thatcher, spoke publicly for the first time of his mother’s death. He said that his family is “overwhelmed” by condolences and messages of support of “every type” and from “far and wide”, for which he is most grateful for.
Sir Mark was in Spain, near Marbella, with his wife, Sarah Jane Russell. The Thatcher family spokesman, Lord Bell, had initially stated that he would not be coming to London until the day of the former Prime Minister’s funeral next week and the service at St. Paul’s Cathedral on April 17th, 2013.
Yet, Sir Mark arrived back in the UK last night from Barbados, where he had been on holiday. He spoke on the steps in front of Baroness Thatcher’s five-story Victorian townhouse to the press and audience that gathered to listen to him.
Responding to the Queen’s agreement to the ceremony, Margaret Thatcher’s son said his mother would be “greatly honored” and “humbled” by her presence.
“By any measure, my mother was blessed with a long life and a very full one,” said Sir Mark, adding that the “inevitable conclusion” had not made their grieving any easier to bear for it is “without doubt a very sad moment.”
Sir Mark has been notorious for risky ventures, including one that attempted to carry out a coup to overthrow the ruler of Equatorial Guinea and another where he got lost in the Sahara during the Paris-Dakar rally. Baroness Thatcher has pulled her son out from the travails of life on many occasions.
In these last couple days, the media has been flooded with obituaries of United Kingdom’s first and only female prime minister. Supporters and fans sent mail and wrote online comments to encourage the Thatcher family.
“We have been simply quite overwhelmed by messages of support and condolences of every type, from far and wide, and I know that my mother would be pleased that it had come from people of all walks of life.”
While the country continues to be divided over Thatcher's role in the shaping of modern Britain as it has been when she was in office, many around the world have been inspired by her strong will in carrying out her policies. To the majority, she is credited for revitalizing Britain from the post-war economy.
Sir Mark, who inevitably during childhood did not have much time together with Margaret Thatcher, said, “These messages often convey personal stories, vignettes of part of the journey of my mother’s life and we are all enormously grateful for the warmth that these messages convey."
“They will be the source of encouragement and strength as we face the inevitable days ahead and for that, I am most grateful,” he said.
Mark’s twin sister has also returned to the country from her home in Klosters, Switzerland.
