Former British Premier Margaret Thatcher today returned to 10, Downing Street to attend the unveiling of her portrait in the residence of the British Prime Minister.
She was greeted by Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife, Sarah Brown. They shook hands with Lady Thatcher, who paused for photographs but said nothing to waiting reporters.
Thatcher was prime minister between 1979 and 1990.
Thatcher’s portrait was unveiled at a private reception hosted by the Prime Minister and will go on permanent display in the state room’s lobby on the first floor of Downing Street.
The guest list for the event, drawn up by Thatcher, included former members of her cabinet such as Lord Carrington and Michael Forsyth, close advisers such as Sir Bernard Ingham, Lord Bell and Lord Saatchi.
Some of the journalists, who covered her years in power, including Kelvin MacKenzie, the former editor of The Sun, and John Sergeant, who was a BBC political correspondent during her premiership, were also on the guest list.
Thatcher had previously visited Brown in 10, Downing Street in September 2007, days after he took over as Prime Minister after Tony Blair had stepped down.
Thatcher’s portrait was done by Richard Stone, who has previously painted the Queen and the Queen Mother as well as Labour prime ministers Harold Wilson and James Callaghan.
