In addition to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, David Cameron, Henry Kissinger,
Dick Cheney, Tony Blair — and at least one singer, Shirley Bassey — a raft of high-flying US hedge-funders and philanthropists will be among 1,700 attending Margaret Thatcher’s funeral in London tomorrow.
Sources say the US guest list includes Margaret Thatcher Foundation and Chelsea Royal Hospital’s American adviser Scott Elkins, Jean Shafiroff, Carroll Petrie’s daughter Andrea de Portago, Evercore Partners’ Charles Myers, Green Cay Asset Management’s Jane Siebels and US Global Investors’ Frank E. Holmes.
The service is tomorrow at St. Paul’s Cathedral and is to be followed, we hear, by a memorial lunch for 800 at Guild Hall.
The next day, we’re told, between 200 and 300 guests have been invited to a breakfast at Chelsea Royal Hospital — home of the $71 million Margaret Thatcher Infirmary — to include a viewing of the spot where the Iron Lady will be buried next to her husband, Denis. Sources said the event was originally supposed to be open to the public but has been restricted to VIPs because of the wave of anti-Thatcher protests.
“It’s not often that they lock down the gates of the hospital,” explained a local source. “But they’re going to Thursday because of the protesters.” The source added that the modest breakfast will be in the “Chelsea pensioners commissary . . . It’s not like a breakfast at Jean-Georges.”
House Speaker John Boehner yesterday said a US delegation includes Rep. Michele Bachmann (who once said of herself, “I will be the next Iron Lady”) as well as Reps. George Holding and Marsha Blackburn.
American guests to the funeral were contacted individually by phone and apprised of the British dress code and security protocol. Men are to wear “a morning coat with black vest,” but “a dark suit is acceptable.” For women, a “dark dress” and an appropriate hat.” Said a source, “It’s harder to get a ticket to the funeral than to the royal wedding.”