Friends and allies of Baroness Thatcher expressed 'surprise and disappointment' last night as it emerged President Obama is not planning to send any serving member of his administration to her funeral.
Whitehall sources have revealed that the US delegation at tomorrow's service in St Paul's Cathedral will be led by two Reagan era secretaries of state: James Baker and George Shultz.
Though President Obama himself had not been expected to attend, there had been speculation that he would be represented either by Vice President Joe Biden or wife Michelle. However, the Obama administration had said it would not be attending Thatcher's funeral before the Boston bombings
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Speaking at a press conference in the White House following the explosions at Boston Marathon - he said he would not be going to Thatcher's funeral before yesterday's explosions
The Queen's decision to attend Lady Thatcher's funeral has effectively elevated it to a state occasion unprecedented for a political figure in Britain since the death of Sir Winston Churchill in 1965.
Other world leaders, including Canada's Stephen Harper, Mario Monti of Italy and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, are attending the service in person.
A key Reagan-era ally of Baroness Thatcher, former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz, will attend
President Obama paid tribute to Lady Thatcher's towering achievements when her death was announced last week.
But a US embassy spokesman confirmed that no serving member of his administration would be present to pay their last respects, citing a busy week in US domestic politics.
Former US vice president Dick Cheney and ex-secretary of state Henry Kissinger will attend the funeral, Downing Street said today.
Former defence secretary Dr Liam Fox, Lady Thatcher's closest ally in modern-day politics, said: 'I think it would be both surprising and disappointing if after President Obama's fulsome tribute to Lady Thatcher, the American administration did not send a senior serving member to represent them.'
Sir Gerald Howarth, chairman of the Thatcherite Conservative Way Forward group of MPs and peers, said: 'The bonds forged between the UK and the US through Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher was instrumental in ending the Cold War and liberating millions of people.
'That the present administration feels unable to be represented as the world marks the extraordinary contribution Margaret Thatcher made will be a source of disappointment to those who served with her in that great endeavour.'
The US embassy insisted no snub was intended, but confirmed that Mr Baker and Mr Schulz would represent the US.
'This is a hugely significant week in terms of US domestic politics,' a spokesman added.
He said that both the First Lady and the Vice President were 'the President's point people on gun control', adding: 'This is a week when there is a lot of movement on Capitol Hill on gun control issues.'
Last night police in London were under pressure to crack down on plans to insult the memory of Lady Thatcher at the funeral.
Hundreds of protesters have pledged to turn their backs as her coffin travels through Central London.
Campaigners said Scotland Yard had effectively encouraged the move by decreeing it is not against the law and will not provoke arrests.
The insult is calculated to cause maximum embarrassment to her grieving family without provoking action by police.
It will be seen by millions worldwide as the occasion is beamed live around the world on TV.
Family: Mark Thatcher will be joined by his wife Sarah and his children Michael and Amanda at the funeral on Wednesday
Saying goodbye: Mark Thatcher and his wife Sarah at Chester Square with his children Michael and Amanda as final preparations were made for the funeral
In 2003: Former Prime Minister Lady Thatcher is comforted by her grandson Michael Thatcher and granddaughter Amanda outside the memorial service of her late husband, Sir Denis Thatcher
Final stages: The Iron Lady's twin children Mark and Carol were preparing for their mother’s ceremonial funeral at her London home yesterday, just hours after the trial run
Police chiefs said they are 'not there to uphold respect' and said demonstrators who are merely 'insulting' are unlikely to face arrest. But they faced a backlash from many who questioned why anyone would want to be so disrespectful to the dead stateswoman.
Hundreds have signed up to online sites vowing to wear red and turn their back on the military funeral cortege.
They want to occupy high- profile points of Lady Thatcher's three-mile funeral procession so their views will not be missed.
John Cooper QC, the architect behind the back-turning protest, said the public nature of the funeral means it is impossible to ban insulting gestures.
He said: 'Simply saying it is beastly, horrible or distasteful – a point of view that I can understand – does not take away the fact there will be a proportion of society that rightly wants to legally demonstrate.'
Retired chief constable Dr Tim Brain said police are forced to tread the line between the right to protest and upholding the law.
He said on BBC Radio 4 that police will be 'very firm' if protest becomes disruption, for example if objects are thrown at the funeral procession.
Former Tory chairman Lord Tebbit described protesters as 'mindless bigots' but said police cannot intervene if they obey the law.
Liam Fox (left) expressed surprise that no key serving members of the Obama administration would pay their respects. Former Secretary of State James Baker (right) will also attend the funeral with Shultz
Dress rehearsal at dawn on streets of an empty capital
By PAUL HARRIS
She was always so particular about detail, passionate about getting things right.
So in the semi-darkness of pre-dawn London yesterday, through virtually deserted streets, they counted the exact number of steps it will take to carry Baroness Thatcher to her funeral service, and timed her journey to the second.
In a full and detailed rehearsal, each man, woman and horse involved in the last stage of the procession enacted the role they will play tomorrow.
It created the bizarre but often stirring spectacle of military marching bands playing to no one, bearskin guardsmen with no crowds to flank – even a minister saying a prayer over an empty coffin.
This was the last chance any of them had to practise for the real thing – the largest funeral in Britain since that of the Queen Mother in 2002.
Ceremony: The funeral will be the biggest Britain has seen in many years, costing around £10million
The coffin is taken up the steps of the cathedral at dawn as the services want no mistakes on Wednesday
Journey: The coffin is show here on the gun carriage as it heads towards St Paul's
Funeral rehearsal 'went very well': Organisers practice before...
Sombre: This is the path the flag draped coffin of Margaret Thatcher will follow later this week
Salute: Lady Thatcher's coffin will be carried on a gun carriage though the City of London to St Paul's cathedral where a funeral service will be held on April 17
Beneath grey skies, and then into the sunrise, a ten-strong bearer party carried and escorted a flag-draped, weighted coffin from St Clement Danes, the RAF church on The Strand.
Tomorrow this is where the coffin bearing Lady Thatcher will be transferred to a horse-drawn gun carriage after its journey by hearse from Westminster. From here, along Fleet Street and across Ludgate Circus, it will be taken to St Paul's Cathedral for the funeral service.
In a salute to Lady Thatcher's celebrated legacy, the pall-bearers were selected from soldiers, sailors and airmen closely associated with the Falklands war.
A single bell tolled as they set off for St Paul's. They then moved along the route to the strains of Chopin, Beethoven and Mendelssohn funeral marches. On the day, thousands are expected to line the streets.
Pressure: More than 700 members of the services will take part in the funeral procession
Pomp: The honour guard from the three military services, from regiments linked to the Falklands War, carry the coffin
Funeral: The coffin will be taken from St Clement Danes Church, pictured this morning, to St Paul's, by gun carriage
Waiting: Lady Thatcher's coffin is shown here on the aisle of St Clement Danes Church
Yesterday only a scattering of early-morning spectators got a preview of the event, involving nearly 800 servicemen and women.
The rehearsal finished before most commuters had even begun their journey.
In the interests of military precision, a final calculation confirmed that the procession would have to walk at 70 steps a minute over a journey of some 1,200 yards, as well as allowing time for choreographed pauses. It was clearly a useful fine-tuning exercise – the coffin is reported to have arrived three minutes and 15 seconds over schedule.
Major Andrew Chatburn, who has the job of organising it all, said the rehearsal was vital to allow those taking part 'to get a feel for how it's going to go so they can perform their duties with confidence on the day'. And, of course, to do Lady Thatcher proud.
Poised: As the coffin heads towards St Paul's, men and women wait outside the cathedral for the procession to reach them
Rehearsal: A section of the members of the Armed Forces line the steps of St Paul's Cathedral in the dark
Military: As darkness surrounds St Paul's, the armed forces practice their march up the steps and along by the pillars as they prepare for the funeral on Wednesday
Procession: All the men and women taking a role in Wednesday's funeral were out in force
Whitehall sources have revealed that the US delegation at tomorrow's service in St Paul's Cathedral will be led by two Reagan era secretaries of state: James Baker and George Shultz.
Though President Obama himself had not been expected to attend, there had been speculation that he would be represented either by Vice President Joe Biden or wife Michelle. However, the Obama administration had said it would not be attending Thatcher's funeral before the Boston bombings
Scroll down for video
Speaking at a press conference in the White House following the explosions at Boston Marathon - he said he would not be going to Thatcher's funeral before yesterday's explosions
The Queen's decision to attend Lady Thatcher's funeral has effectively elevated it to a state occasion unprecedented for a political figure in Britain since the death of Sir Winston Churchill in 1965.
Other world leaders, including Canada's Stephen Harper, Mario Monti of Italy and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, are attending the service in person.
A key Reagan-era ally of Baroness Thatcher, former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz, will attend
President Obama paid tribute to Lady Thatcher's towering achievements when her death was announced last week.
But a US embassy spokesman confirmed that no serving member of his administration would be present to pay their last respects, citing a busy week in US domestic politics.
Former US vice president Dick Cheney and ex-secretary of state Henry Kissinger will attend the funeral, Downing Street said today.
Former defence secretary Dr Liam Fox, Lady Thatcher's closest ally in modern-day politics, said: 'I think it would be both surprising and disappointing if after President Obama's fulsome tribute to Lady Thatcher, the American administration did not send a senior serving member to represent them.'
Sir Gerald Howarth, chairman of the Thatcherite Conservative Way Forward group of MPs and peers, said: 'The bonds forged between the UK and the US through Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher was instrumental in ending the Cold War and liberating millions of people.
'That the present administration feels unable to be represented as the world marks the extraordinary contribution Margaret Thatcher made will be a source of disappointment to those who served with her in that great endeavour.'
The US embassy insisted no snub was intended, but confirmed that Mr Baker and Mr Schulz would represent the US.
'This is a hugely significant week in terms of US domestic politics,' a spokesman added.
He said that both the First Lady and the Vice President were 'the President's point people on gun control', adding: 'This is a week when there is a lot of movement on Capitol Hill on gun control issues.'
Last night police in London were under pressure to crack down on plans to insult the memory of Lady Thatcher at the funeral.
Hundreds of protesters have pledged to turn their backs as her coffin travels through Central London.
Campaigners said Scotland Yard had effectively encouraged the move by decreeing it is not against the law and will not provoke arrests.
The insult is calculated to cause maximum embarrassment to her grieving family without provoking action by police.
It will be seen by millions worldwide as the occasion is beamed live around the world on TV.
Family: Mark Thatcher will be joined by his wife Sarah and his children Michael and Amanda at the funeral on Wednesday
Saying goodbye: Mark Thatcher and his wife Sarah at Chester Square with his children Michael and Amanda as final preparations were made for the funeral
In 2003: Former Prime Minister Lady Thatcher is comforted by her grandson Michael Thatcher and granddaughter Amanda outside the memorial service of her late husband, Sir Denis Thatcher
Final stages: The Iron Lady's twin children Mark and Carol were preparing for their mother’s ceremonial funeral at her London home yesterday, just hours after the trial run
Police chiefs said they are 'not there to uphold respect' and said demonstrators who are merely 'insulting' are unlikely to face arrest. But they faced a backlash from many who questioned why anyone would want to be so disrespectful to the dead stateswoman.
Hundreds have signed up to online sites vowing to wear red and turn their back on the military funeral cortege.
They want to occupy high- profile points of Lady Thatcher's three-mile funeral procession so their views will not be missed.
John Cooper QC, the architect behind the back-turning protest, said the public nature of the funeral means it is impossible to ban insulting gestures.
He said: 'Simply saying it is beastly, horrible or distasteful – a point of view that I can understand – does not take away the fact there will be a proportion of society that rightly wants to legally demonstrate.'
Retired chief constable Dr Tim Brain said police are forced to tread the line between the right to protest and upholding the law.
He said on BBC Radio 4 that police will be 'very firm' if protest becomes disruption, for example if objects are thrown at the funeral procession.
Former Tory chairman Lord Tebbit described protesters as 'mindless bigots' but said police cannot intervene if they obey the law.
Liam Fox (left) expressed surprise that no key serving members of the Obama administration would pay their respects. Former Secretary of State James Baker (right) will also attend the funeral with Shultz
Dress rehearsal at dawn on streets of an empty capital
By PAUL HARRIS
She was always so particular about detail, passionate about getting things right.
So in the semi-darkness of pre-dawn London yesterday, through virtually deserted streets, they counted the exact number of steps it will take to carry Baroness Thatcher to her funeral service, and timed her journey to the second.
In a full and detailed rehearsal, each man, woman and horse involved in the last stage of the procession enacted the role they will play tomorrow.
It created the bizarre but often stirring spectacle of military marching bands playing to no one, bearskin guardsmen with no crowds to flank – even a minister saying a prayer over an empty coffin.
This was the last chance any of them had to practise for the real thing – the largest funeral in Britain since that of the Queen Mother in 2002.
Ceremony: The funeral will be the biggest Britain has seen in many years, costing around £10million
The coffin is taken up the steps of the cathedral at dawn as the services want no mistakes on Wednesday
Journey: The coffin is show here on the gun carriage as it heads towards St Paul's
Funeral rehearsal 'went very well': Organisers practice before...
Sombre: This is the path the flag draped coffin of Margaret Thatcher will follow later this week
Salute: Lady Thatcher's coffin will be carried on a gun carriage though the City of London to St Paul's cathedral where a funeral service will be held on April 17
Beneath grey skies, and then into the sunrise, a ten-strong bearer party carried and escorted a flag-draped, weighted coffin from St Clement Danes, the RAF church on The Strand.
Tomorrow this is where the coffin bearing Lady Thatcher will be transferred to a horse-drawn gun carriage after its journey by hearse from Westminster. From here, along Fleet Street and across Ludgate Circus, it will be taken to St Paul's Cathedral for the funeral service.
In a salute to Lady Thatcher's celebrated legacy, the pall-bearers were selected from soldiers, sailors and airmen closely associated with the Falklands war.
A single bell tolled as they set off for St Paul's. They then moved along the route to the strains of Chopin, Beethoven and Mendelssohn funeral marches. On the day, thousands are expected to line the streets.
Pressure: More than 700 members of the services will take part in the funeral procession
Pomp: The honour guard from the three military services, from regiments linked to the Falklands War, carry the coffin
Funeral: The coffin will be taken from St Clement Danes Church, pictured this morning, to St Paul's, by gun carriage
Waiting: Lady Thatcher's coffin is shown here on the aisle of St Clement Danes Church
Yesterday only a scattering of early-morning spectators got a preview of the event, involving nearly 800 servicemen and women.
The rehearsal finished before most commuters had even begun their journey.
In the interests of military precision, a final calculation confirmed that the procession would have to walk at 70 steps a minute over a journey of some 1,200 yards, as well as allowing time for choreographed pauses. It was clearly a useful fine-tuning exercise – the coffin is reported to have arrived three minutes and 15 seconds over schedule.
Major Andrew Chatburn, who has the job of organising it all, said the rehearsal was vital to allow those taking part 'to get a feel for how it's going to go so they can perform their duties with confidence on the day'. And, of course, to do Lady Thatcher proud.
Poised: As the coffin heads towards St Paul's, men and women wait outside the cathedral for the procession to reach them
Rehearsal: A section of the members of the Armed Forces line the steps of St Paul's Cathedral in the dark
Military: As darkness surrounds St Paul's, the armed forces practice their march up the steps and along by the pillars as they prepare for the funeral on Wednesday
Procession: All the men and women taking a role in Wednesday's funeral were out in force