They called her the Iron Lady, a woman of incredible strength, courage and steadfast determination.    Around the world she, along with President Ronald Reagan, held the beacon of freedom with incredible poise and brilliance.    RIP Baroness you will long be remembered and always admired.

(Via Daily Mail)  Thatcher died in the luxury suite at the Ritz  where she had spent months recuperating after an operation.

Britain’s first and only female prime  minister, who passed away peacefully at the age of 87 after suffering a massive  stroke, had checked into the five star hotel at the start of the year following  minor surgery on her bladder over Christmas.

While a close-knit circle of friends took it  in turns to visit the increasingly frail 87-year-old at the Belgravia hotel – a  long-time favorite of the former leader’s – it was a solitary start to what  would prove to be her final few months.

She had been due to spend Christmas Day with  her niece Jane Mays, who lives in north east London, but was admitted to  hospital five days earlier for minor surgery to remove a growth on her  bladder.

She met her husband while fighting the  Dartford constituency – which she lost – in 1950. Denis, the director of a paint  firm, helped the fledgeling politician by driving her around.

They married in the autumn of 1951 when  Baroness Thatcher was 26.

As she went on to embark upon a career at the  highest echelons of British politics, she relied on Denis as a constant source  of discreet support.

The pair had enjoyed an marriage lasting more  than 50 years.  Denis passed in 2003. (read more)