It may have been a very British occasion, but Lady Thatcher's 20-year-old granddaughter Amanda struck a distinctly American note at the former prime ⦠Mark Thatcher first met Diane in 1987, when he moved to Dallas, Texas, representing the luxury automotive company Lotus Cars, after he became lost for six days in the ⦠Their parents' relationship was tumultuous.Her mother wrote in a British paper that Mark's repeated infidelity led her to hire private detectives and to delay a second child (Amanda). After her marriage to Mark broke down she kept a close relationship with her former mother-in-law. His conviction over an attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea bars him from entering the US. When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Alexandra Roach was born in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire in Wales and was already a veteran of the Welsh television soap 'Pobol Y Cwm' by her early teens. Lady Thatcher doted on grandchildren Michael and Amanda, The Iron Lady would have expected no less of the American-born teenager she described as one of her "greatest delights", Amanda attracted attention when, at 12, she wrote a letter to President Bush in a bid to see more of Mark. Season 4 of The Crown portrays the rise of Margaret Thatcher, the conservative British prime minister who held the post from 1979 to 1990âand was ⦠Amanda Thatcher 's composure and dignity at the funeral of her beloved grandmother Margaret Thatcher bore more than a passing resemblance to the ⦠She barely looked to the lectern, giving the impression she had learned the reading by heart.She was also praised for "a very nice curtsey" when introduced to the Queen after the service. I want my Daddy back in America. When aged 12, the Sunday Times reported, Amanda wrote to President Bush asking him to intervene. Amanda Thatcher is now studying at the University of Richmond in Virginia; her school reports show was a talented sportswoman, excelling in athletics, and ⦠Express. She wasnât the first woman to be at the head of what had often been âHer Majestyâs Government,â of course, but only Thatcher had fought her way to parliamentary power via a general election. order back issues and use the historic Daily Express Despite the hurdles caused by distance, infirmity and family breakdown, Diane was keen to preserve Thatcher's relationship with her grandchildren. He is the son of Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990, and Sir Denis Thatcher, and is the twin brother of Carol Thatcher. The teenager was only nine when her grandfather Sir Denis died ⦠Wearing a strand of pearls that may have belonged to her grandmother and elegant in black high heels and wide-brimmed hat, Miss Thatcher delivered an emotional yet faultless reading before more than 2,000 guests - including the Queen, Prime Minister and foreign dignitaries - and a global television audience. "She wept and wept and wept," her mother recalled. Lady Thatcher's "greatest delight", she told an interviewer in the late 90s, was "when my daughter-in-law sends me photographs of the grandchildren. The former prime minister and Sir Denis spent most Christmases with Mark's family in Dallas or Cape Town, and after her husband died and she became too unwell to travel, Lady Thatcher spoke to her grandchildren on the phone frequently. However viewers were left confused by her over-the-top performance, saying it was like a caricature and needed to be âturned down a notchâ. In late 1974, when Margaret Thatcher put her name forward as a political challenger to Edward Heath, Britainâs largest betting chain put the odds of her winning the Tory leadership at 50â1. Lady Thatcher enjoys a close relationship with Sir Mark, a fact that has caused her considerable political discomfort over the years because of his habit of getting into trouble. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. PA Images via Getty Images And when Mrs Thatcher could no longer travel she would ring the children.An evangelical Christian who is described by friends as modest and discreet, Amanda is at the University of Richmond in Virginia. Thirty-five years ago this Sunday, Margaret Thatcher became the first woman to be elected British prime minister. Recently deceased former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Queen Elizabeth II had a complicated relationship. Diane went on to marry James Beckett, a committed Christian and devoted stepfather.Adryana Boyne, of Voices Offering Conservative Empowering Solutions, a Right-leaning organisation for which Michael worked - knows Amanda and describes her as "an extraordinary woman of faith with a melodious voice and a kind heart… and as my son Samuel says, she bakes good chocolate lava cakes.". She remains a keen horsewoman. On either side on the mantelpiece, next to a photograph of her late husband Denis, pride of place was taken by framed portraits of her two American-born grandchildren, Michael and Amanda. They also have a daughter, Amanda Margaret, born in 1993. See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, By 2004, after a move to Cape Town, when Mark was arrested for his involvement in an attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea, the marriage had finally broken down, devastating Amanda in particular, according to her mother. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express. On either side of the mantelpiece at the former prime minister's grand house in Chester Square, Belgravia, were framed photos of her grandchildren: children of her son Sir Mark and his first wife Diane. After divorcing Diane, Mark Thatcher married his second wife, Sarah-Jane Russell, in 2008. newspaper archive. "You know how you feel about your daughters? You can unsubscribe at any time. Mark Thatcher returned to London in 2013 to attend his motherâs funeral with wife Sarah-Jane (from left, in front of 10 Downing St.), and kids Michael and Amanda. She, too, will attend the funeral. She has also carried out Christian missionary work in China. "Michael Thatcher has always been so discreet and prudent about his relationship with Lady Thatcher," the organisation's director, Adryana Boyne, wrote this week, calling him and his sister "humble and kind". Amanda Thatcher: 'Grammyâs still so alive. "One Christmas she flew out with a giant chocolate bonbon for them," recalled Diane. Finally, my brethren, be strong in The Lord, and in the power of his might. Though Mark Thatcher's union with the Texan millionairess Diane Burgdorf lasted almost two decades before finally ending in divorce, the marriage was under strain almost as soon as it had begun. Amanda Thatcher Reading At Margaret Thatcherâs Funeral Ceremony. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights.