The Iron Lady and the Queen: A Tense Yet Respectful Dance
The Queen and Thatcher: A Tense but Respectful Relationship?
As we mark what would have been Margaret Thatcher's 100th birthday, a new light has been shed on her relationship with the late Queen Elizabeth II. The Iron Lady, known for her unwavering determination and unapologetic views, left an indelible mark on British politics. But what about her interactions with the monarch? Did their differences in personality and policy create a frosty dynamic, or was it just a case of two strong-willed women butting heads?
The rumors of a strained relationship between Thatcher and the Queen have been a topic of fascination for years. In 1986, a bombshell revelation hinted at the Queen's dismay over Thatcher's refusal to impose sanctions on apartheid South Africa, fearing it would split the Commonwealth. This perceived rift was even dramatized in the hit Netflix series The Crown. But was this portrayal accurate?
According to royal author Valentine Low, Thatcher held the Queen in "awe." However, their weekly meetings were far from comfortable for the Prime Minister. In his book Power and the Palace, Low writes that Thatcher's middle-class provincial background made her feel like an outsider at the palace. Her former private secretary, Robin Butler, revealed that the court would go out of its way to show good manners but in a way that made Thatcher feel uncomfortable.
Thatcher's own behavior during these meetings spoke volumes about her tension. She would curtsy lower than anyone else and arrive early, often looking like she couldn't wait to get out of there. A whiskey after each meeting was the norm, and on occasion, she'd even try to change the date to fit her busy schedule. This caused some irritation at the palace, with Thatcher's private secretary, Clive Whitmore, warning that pushing their luck would be a bad idea.
But for all the claims of tension between the two, there was no animosity. Low describes their relationship as "business-like" rather than warm, but even this was a stretch for some. Royal author and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth has claimed that their relationship was not as icy as the press portrayed it, but rather misunderstood.
In his royal biography Elizabeth, An Intimate Portrait, Brandreth reveals that Thatcher told him that talk of a strained relationship was "a lot of nonsense." The Queen, he claims, described Thatcher as "simply marvellous," highlighting her commitment to the Commonwealth and the Armed Forces. While it's true that they might not have seen eye-to-eye on policies – with the Queen being a small-c conservative compared to Thatcher's more right-wing views – there is no evidence to suggest Elizabeth actively disliked Thatcher.
In fact, the Queen showed considerable respect for Thatcher during her long period in office. She dined at No. 10 in 1985, appointed Thatcher the Order of Merit within two weeks of her resignation in 1990, and honored her with the Order of the Garter five years later. The Queen was also a guest at both Thatcher's 70th and 80th birthday celebrations and attended her funeral in 2013 – the only other funeral she attended was that of Winston Churchill.
TheScholarlyNote.com spoke to a palace insider who revealed, "While the Queen and Thatcher might not have been close, they had a deep respect for each other. The Prime Minister knew that the Queen's role was sacrosanct, and the Queen, in turn, recognized Thatcher's unwavering commitment to her policies."
So, what does this tell us about their relationship? Was it truly a case of two strong-willed women butting heads, or were they simply working through their differences with professionalism and respect? The truth, as always, lies somewhere in between.