London - Historians assessing Lady Thatcher's turbulent years in Downing Street agree she divided politics, society, and ultimately her party. Now they can add the British royal family to the list.
According to the diaries of the late Woodrow Wyatt, the former Labour MP, member of the House of Lords and celebrated newspaper columnist, the Queen Mother and Queen Elizabeth held very different opinions of the former prime minister.
The Queen Mother was an ardent supporter. She admired her courage and praised the "tremendous things" she had achieved. The queen, however, was less enamoured. Though her hostility to Lady Thatcher diminished the longer she remained prime minister, there were occasions when the queen made her feelings quite plain.
Extracts from The Journals of Woodrow Wyatt were published in the Sunday Times.