Margaret Thatcher dies, the House of Thatcher mourns the loss
Margaret Thatcher, former prime minister of England, died Monday, Apr. 8 of a stroke at age 87 after suffering from dementia for a number of years. At King’s the House of Thatcher wore black to mourn her passing
Thatcher was elected in 1979 and is remembered as the conservative who became the first female prime minister of Britain, according to biography.com. She is also remembered for her controversial accomplishments in office: privatizing industries, eliminating social welfare programs and reducing the power of trade unions.
Her death reminds the House of Thatcher and The King’s College overall of the role of each House namesake.
“She was a controversial leader but to us, and to King’s in general, she was a really great leader and so it’s allowing us to see the amazing accomplishments that she achieved in her life,” said Thatcher chamberlain-elect, Andrea Lopez.
“It’s been funny because people have come up to us offering their condolences,” Thatcher president-elect, Maddie Whitlock, said. She explained how through participating in the House history competitions, the namesake competition and researching her life, “It really feels like [the House] knows her."
According to Mary Pham, president of the House of Thatcher, the House plans to send the Thatcher family a card as well as watch the funeral and make a tribute banner of Thatcher quotes.
Joy Merlino, member of the House of Thatcher, explained that she has been amazed by the outpouring of reverence and respect across world news for Thatcher who was a controversial leader and “wasn’t necessarily loved during her time.”
According to Time, Thatcher will receive full military honors Apr. 17, in a “ceremonial funeral service” which the Queen and her husband will attend.
Thatcher came into office during a recession, experienced the Falklands war, survived her attempted assassination at the Conservatives Conference in Brighton and helped end the Soviet communism of the Cold War. For these reasons, while in office, Thatcher earned the title “Iron Lady.”
She is also remembered for what is called “Thatcherism— the belief that economic freedom and individual liberty are interdependent, that personal responsibility and hard work are the only ways to national prosperity, and that the free-market democracies must stand firm against aggression," according to the New York Times
Thatcher was also as a close friend of Ronald Reagan. The two shared conservative values and often collaborated as statesmen. According to the Huffington Post, Reagan called Thatcher “the best man in England.”
According to Reuters, upon her death, Thatcher received tribute from many including Mikhail Gorbachev, former General Secretary of the Communist party in the Soviet Union, whom she and Reagan negotiated with to take down the iron curtain.
"In the end, we were able to achieve mutual understanding, and this contributed to a change in the atmosphere between our country and the West and to the end of the Cold War,” Gorbachev said. “Margaret Thatcher was a great politician and an exceptional person. She will be remain in our memories and in history."