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Europe

Margaret Thatcher

A pioneer for her sex, Margaret Thatcher was prime minister of the United Kingdom for almost 12 years. Take a look back at her life and career.

/ 34 PHOTOS

Apple of his eye

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Little lady

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Margaret Thatcher

British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, then Miss Margaret Roberts, attending a garden party at Buckingham Palace, as a Conservative MP. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images)
— Central Press / Hulton Archive
Thatcher's Chemistry

The chemist

24th January 1950: When not engaged in her political work in Dartford (Kent) where she is standing as Tory candidate, Miss Margaret Roberts, youngest candidate for the general election, is busy with her work as a research chemist. Margaret Roberts went on to become Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. (Photo by Chris Ware/Keystone Features/Getty Images)
— Chris Ware / Hulton Archive
PM To Be

The candidate

4th October 1951: Margaret Roberts, Conservative candidate for Dartford, Kent and youngest woman candidate in the election, talking to dustmen during her election campaign. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images)
— Central Press / Hulton Archive
Addressing Conference

The speaker

21st October 1967: Conservative politician and future Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher speaking at a party conference. (Photo by Harry Dempster/Express/Getty Images)
— Harry Dempster / Hulton Archive
State Opening

Climbing the ladder

2nd July 1970: Future prime minister Margaret Thatcher in the House of Commons during the State Opening of Parliament in London. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)
— Fox Photos / Hulton Archive

Family times

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Thatcher Victorious

Leader of the pack

11th February 1975: British Conservative leader, Margaret Thatcher, faces the press at conservative central office, after her victory in the leadership election. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)
— Fox Photos / Hulton Archive
Two Fingers

'The Iron Lady'

November 1976: Conservative party leader Margaret Thatcher makes a 'victory' sign outside her home in Chelsea, London. (Photo by John Minihan/Evening Standard/Getty Images)
— John Minihan / Hulton Archive
Looking For A Job

Seeking top job

Conservative Party Leader Margaret Hilda Thatcher, nee Roberts, looking through the jobs on a visit to the Finchley job centre. (Photo by Mike Lawn/Getty Images)
— Mike Lawn / Hulton Archive
Image: BRITAIN-POLITICS-THATCHER-OBIT-FILES

The keys to Number 10

(FILES) - A picture dated May 4, 1979 shows the British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher waving as she arrives to take office at No 10 Downing Street in London with her husband Denis (2nd L). Former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, the \"Iron Lady\" who shaped a generation of British politics, died following a stroke on April 8, 2013 at the age of 87, her spokesman said. AFP PHOTO/FILES-/AFP/Getty Images
— - / AFP
NUT Protest

Cuts opposed

4th December 1979: Marchers in a NUT (National Union of Teachers) demonstration in London against the education cuts propsed by the ILEA (Inner London Education Authority) Their Socialist Worker posters read, 'Stop The Mad Axewoman Fight The Cuts'. (The axewoman is leader of the Conservative party Margaret Thatcher). (Photo by Wesley/Keystone/Getty Images)
— Wesley / Hulton Archive

Fans' rebuke

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Hunger Striker Dies

Irish troubles

16th July 1981: Masked IRA members lead the funeral procession of hunger striker Martin Hurson. He died after 46 days on hunger strike and the burial service took place at Saint John's Chapel, Galbally. (Photo by Hennessy/Keystone/Getty Images)
— Hennessy / Hulton Archive
Camouflage Line

Thatcher at war

A line of British soldiers in camouflage advancing during the Falklands War. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
— Hulton Archive / Hulton Archive
Photo of the participants of the 8th summit of the

Maggie and Ronnie

VERSAILLES, FRANCE: Photo of the participants of the 8th summit of the Western industrialized countries that opened 04 June 1982 in Versailles. From left to right : president of European Commission Gaston Thorn, Japanese Prime Minister Senko Suzuki, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, US president Ronald Reagan, French president Frantois Mitterrand, West-German Chancelor Helmut Schmidt, Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, president of Italian Council Giovanni Spadolini, and Belgian Prime Minister Wilfrid Martens. AFP PHOTO (Photo credit should read AFP/Getty Images)
— - / AFP
Photo dated 19 December 1984 shows senior Chinese

Hong Kong dilemma

BEIJING, CHINA - DECEMBER 19: Photo dated 19 December 1984 shows senior Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping (L) meeting the then British prime minister Margaret Thatcher. The joint Sino-British declaration sealing Hong Kong's future was signed in 1984. N/B B/W (Photo credit should read PIERRE-ANTOINE DONNET/AFP/Getty Images)
— Pierre-antoine Donnet / AFP
Ronald Reagan (R) and Margaret Thatcher wave after

The Gipper and the Iron Lady

CAMP DAVID, MD - DECEMBER 22: Ronald Reagan (R) and Margaret Thatcher wave after their arrival in Camp David, 22 december 1984, before their meeting. (Photo credit should read ARCHIVES UPI/AFP/Getty Images)
— Archives Upi / AFP

Narrow escape

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Image:

Iron Lady, steel tank

British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher stands in a British tank during a visit to British forces in Fallingbostel, some 120km (70 miles) south of Hamburg, Germany. on Sept. 17, 1986. Thatchers former spokesman, Tim Bell, said that the former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had died Monday morning, April 8, 2013, of a stroke. She was 87.(AP Photo/Jockel Fink)
— Jockel Fink / AP
** FILE ** Pakistan's opposition leader Benazir Bhutto walks with then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the rose garden at Chequers, Thatcher's country residence, in this July 8, 1989 file photo. Bhutto was assassinated Thursday Dec. 27, 2007, in a suicide attack that also killed at least 20 others at the end of a campaign rally, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. A party security adviser said Bhutto was shot in neck and chest as she got into her vehicle to leave the rally in Rawalpindi . A gunman then blew himself up.(AP Photo/pa-file) ** UNITED KINGDOM OUT: NO SALES: NO ARCHIVE: **

An example for women

** FILE ** Pakistan's opposition leader Benazir Bhutto walks with then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the rose garden at Chequers, Thatcher's country residence, in this July 8, 1989 file photo. Bhutto was assassinated Thursday Dec. 27, 2007, in a suicide attack that also killed at least 20 others at the end of a campaign rally, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. A party security adviser said Bhutto was shot in neck and chest as she got into her vehicle to leave the rally in Rawalpindi . A gunman then blew himself up.(AP Photo/pa-file) ** UNITED KINGDOM OUT: NO SALES: NO ARCHIVE: **
— PA
Image: BRITAIN-POLITICS-THATCHER-OBIT-FILES

Stabbed in the back?

(FILES) - A picture dated Ocotber 13, 1989 shows then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher acknowledging applaud on at the end of the Conservative Party conference in Blackpool. Former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, the \"Iron Lady\" who shaped a generation of British politics, died following a stroke on April 8, 2013 at the age of 87, her spokesman said. AFP PHOTO/FILES/JOHNNY EGGITTJOHNNY EGGITT/AFP/Getty Images
— Johnny Eggitt / AFP
066

Tax troubles

066
— Krause, Johansen
Image: FILE: Baroness Thatcher Dies Aged 87 - Later years and Misc

Tearful departure

FILE - APRIL 8: Baroness Thatcher Dies Aged 87 - Later years and Miscellaneous British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher addresses the press outside Number 10, Downing Street after her resignation, 28th November 1990. Her husband Denis (1915 - 2003) stands at her side. (Photo by Tom Stoddart/Getty Images)
— Tom Stoddart Archive / Hulton Archive
Lady Thatcher (R) visits ex-Chilian President Gene

Loyal ally

WENTWORTH, UNITED KINGDOM: Lady Thatcher (R) visits ex-Chilian President General Pinochet (C) and his wife at their temporary residence where the former dictator is under house arrest at Wentworth in Surrey, Friday 26 March 1999. (Photo credit should read POOL/AFP/Getty Images)
— Pool / AFP
Funeral For Margaret Thatcher's Husband Denis

Husband's passing

LONDON - JULY 3: Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (L) watches as the coffin of her husband Sir Denis Thatcher is taken from The Royal Hospital Chapel July 3, 2003 in London, England. Sir Denis died last week at aged 88, following a heart bypass in January 2003. (Photo by Ian Waldie/Getty Images)
— Ian Waldie / Getty Images Europe
Cheney Participates In A Moment Of Silence To Remember 9/11 Terror Attacks

Remembering 9/11

WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 11: Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (L), US Vice President Dick Cheney (C) and his wife Lynne Cheney (R) participate in a moment of silence on the South Lawn of the White House September 11, 2006 in Washington, DC. Cheney was joined by others to honor the victims of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the United States on the 5th anniversary of the attacks. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)
— Brendan Smialowski / Getty Images North America
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, (Foregroun

Did they coordinate?

London, UNITED KINGDOM: Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, (Foreground) Baroness Thatcher, (L) Cherie Blair (2nd L) and Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair attend a church service to mark the 25th anniversary of the Falkland Islands' liberation at the Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel, Pangbourne College, Berkshire, 14 June 2007. Britain's leaders, war veterans and bereaved relatives marked the 25th anniversary of victory in the Falklands War Thursday, amid a mixture of celebration and sombre reflection. Queen Elizabeth II, Prime Minister Tony Blair and Baroness Margaret Thatcher, who was prime minister at the time, participated in a service marking the end of the conflict with Argentina over the South Atlantic islands. British soldiers entered the Falklands' capital Stanley on June 14, 1982, ending the 74-day occupation and a conflict which killed 649 Argentine and 255 British personnel and three islanders. AFP PHOT/Cathal McNaughton/WPA ROTA/PA (Photo credit should read Cathal McNaughton/AFP/Getty Images)
— Cathal Mcnaughton / AFP
Former British prime minister Baroness M

Yes, that's me

London, UNITED KINGDOM: Former British prime minister Baroness Margaret Thatcher (C) stands with some of her former cabinet including her successor as leader of the Conservative Party John Major (R) in front of a newly unveiled bronze statue of herself, inside the Palace of Westminster, London, 21 February 2007. The unveiling of the 7ft 6in bronze by sculptor Antony Dufort occurred this evening in the Members' Lobby and Baroness Thatcher is the first living ex-Prime Minister to be honoured in such a way by the Commons AFP PHOTO/Johnny Green/POOL/PA Wire. (Photo credit should read JOHNNY GREEN/AFP/Getty Images)
— Johnny Green / AFP
Prince Of Wales Opens Margaret Thatcher Infirmary At Royal Hospital

The prince and the pensioners

LONDON - MARCH 25: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (3rd L) and former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (3rd R) pose with Chelsea pensioners at the opening of the new Margaret Thatcher Infirmary at the Royal Hospital Chelsea on March 25, 2009 in London, England. (Photo by Andrew Winning - WPA Pool/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Margaret Thatcher;Prince Charles, Prince of Wales
— Wpa Pool / Getty Images Europe
Margaret Thatcher Leaves Hospital After Surgery On Her Arm

Home from the hospital

LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 29: Baroness Thatcher waves from the front door of her home after returning from the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital following an operation on her broken arm on June 29, 2009 in London, England. The former Prime Minister has had a pin placed in her shoulder after suffering a fall at home two weeks ago. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Baroness Thatcher
— Oli Scarff / Getty Images Europe
Image: FILE PHOTO:  Margaret Thatcher - October 13, 1925 - April 8, 2013

Conservatives in charge again

British Prime Minister David Cameron greets former Prime Minister Baroness Thatcher on the steps of Number 10 Downing Street on June 8, 2010 in London, England.
— Oli Scarff / Getty Images Europe
Image: FILE PHOTO:  Margaret Thatcher - October 13, 1925 - April 8, 2013

History-maker

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 1: (FILE PHOTO) Baroness Margaret Thatcher, 85, Britain's Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990, Reports on April 8, 2013 state that Baroness Thatcher has died following a stroke.. British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher poses inside Number 10 Downing Street in London, England on April 01, 1984. (Photo by Express/Getty Images)
— Express / Hulton Archive
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