The funeral included a formal procession through Central London followed by a church service at St Paul's Cathedral attended by Queen Elizabeth II.

[10] Lord Bell, Thatcher's spokesman, confirmed her death to the Press Association, who issued the first wire report to newsrooms at 12:47 BST (11:47 UTC).

Following the 2010 general election that brought the coalition government into power, Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude was made the new chairman of the committee; the codename given to the plans was changed to True Blue from Iron Bridge to provide it with "a more Conservative feel".

[17] Thatcher had previously vetoed a state funeral; reasons included cost, parliamentary deliberation,[18] and that it suggested similar stature to Winston Churchill (with which she disagreed).

[14] The scale and the cost to the taxpayer of the funeral, inaccurately estimated before the event at up to £10 million in total, was also criticised by public figures including the Bishop of Grantham, Tim Ellis; Lord Prescott and George Galloway.

[33] Flags along Whitehall were lowered to half-mast at 08:00,[31] and as a rare mark of respect the chimes of the Palace of Westminster's Great Clock, including Big Ben, were silenced from 09:45 for the duration of the funeral.

[43] The Queen and her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, were led in and out of the cathedral by the Lord Mayor of London, Roger Gifford, bearing the Mourning Sword.

He told journalists that his family was "proud and equally grateful" that the Queen would attend her funeral service, whose presence he said his mother would be "greatly honoured as well as humbled by".

[49] Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader David Cameron cut short a visit to Spain and ordered flags to be flown at half-mast.

[49] John Major, her successor as prime minister, credited Thatcher's leadership with turning Britain around in large measure: "Her reforms of the economy, trades union law, and her recovery of the Falkland Islands elevated her above normal politics.

"[49] Former Labour prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown said that even those who disagreed with her would admire her strength of character, her convictions, her view of Britain's place in the world and her contribution to British national life.

[54] Former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas voiced regret that, although Thatcher was the first female prime minister, "she did little for women either inside or outside the House of Commons".

[26][58][59] Over half of all Labour MPs chose to boycott the tribute to Thatcher,[60] with many saying it would have been hypocritical for them to honour her as their constituents continued to suffer from some of the decisions she made.

[61][55] Former MP Tony Benn, former London mayor Ken Livingstone and Paul Kenny, general-secretary of the GMB trade union, stated that her policies were divisive and her legacy involved "the destruction of communities, the elevation of personal greed over social values and legitimising the exploitation of the weak by the strong";[62] however, Benn did acknowledge some of her personal qualities.

[70] A mock funeral was held in the pit village of Goldthorpe in South Yorkshire, in which an effigy of Thatcher was burned alongside the word "scab" spelt out in flowers.

[71] Anarcho-punk band Chumbawamba issued an EP titled In Memoriam: Margaret Thatcher, which had been available for pre-sale since 2005 and which they described as "a small and perfectly-formed segment of the celebrations".

[72][73] Spontaneous street parties were held by some across Britain, comparable to the enthusiasm shown for the assassination of sitting prime minister Spencer Perceval in 1812;[74] celebrations of her death took place in Glasgow, Brixton, Liverpool, Bristol, Leeds, Belfast, Cardiff and elsewhere;[75][76][77][78][79] Glasgow City Council advised citizens to stay away from street parties organised without their involvement or consent out of safety concerns.

[104] The message from Pope Francis "recalls with appreciation the Christian values which underpinned her commitment to public service and to the promotion of freedom among the family of nations".

[105] Irish president Michael D. Higgins extended his condolences, saying: "She will be remembered as one of the most conviction-driven British prime ministers" and that "her key role in signing the Anglo-Irish Agreement will be recalled as a valuable early contribution to the search for peace and political stability".

[106] Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Enda Kenny said he was "saddened" to learn of Thatcher's death,[107] while Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams criticised "the great hurt done to the Irish and British people during her time as British prime minister", adding: "Here in Ireland, her espousal of old draconian militaristic policies prolonged the war and caused great suffering".

[65] French president François Hollande and German chancellor Angela Merkel remarked that Thatcher left "a deep impression on her country's history".

[108] Merkel went on to hail Thatcher's belief in the freedom of the individual as having contributed to "overcoming Europe's partition and the end of the Cold War".

[110] Romanian president Traian Băsescu and the premier and foreign minister of Bulgaria, Marin Raykov, cited her influence on them and sent their condolences.

They recognised Thatcher as a central figure in modern European history, and that her application of the law and economically liberal principles contributed to the downfall of communism in the Eastern Bloc.

His statement praised her as "an unapologetic supporter of our transatlantic alliance, she knew that with strength and resolve we could win the Cold War and extend freedom's promise".

[116] New Zealand prime minister John Key praised Thatcher's determination and expressed his "[sadness] for her family and Great Britain".