Margaret Thatcher: a life in pictures

Margaret Thatcher, prime minister 1979-90 Photograph: David Montgomery/Getty Images

1930s: Margaret Roberts in a school photograph Photograph: Rex Features

1948: Margaret Roberts plays the piano and sings with a group of voters, at the Bull Inn, in her constituency of Dartford, Kent Photograph: Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis

1950: Conservative Party candidate, Margaret Roberts, the youngest candidate for any party in the 1950 General Election, at work in a laboratory where she is a research chemist Photograph: Chris Ware/Hulton Archive

1951: Conservative candidate for Dartford, Miss Margaret Roberts Photograph: Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis

1951: Margaret Roberts on her wedding day, with husband Denis (1915 - 2003). The dress was in royal blue velvet, the halo-styled hat was trimmed with ostrich feathers Photograph: Douglas Miller/Hulton Archive

1953: Margaret Thatcher aged 28 with her twins Carol And Mark. She had been married for two years and was trying to juggle her new career as a lawyer with her political ambitions Photograph: Rex Features/Daily Mail

1962: Margaret Thatcher, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Pensions, waves as she leaves Euston Station on the start of her journey to Llandudno where she will be attending the Annual Conservative Party Conference Photograph: Barratts/PA Photos

1971: Minister of Education Margaret Thatcher tries on different hats in her Lamberhurst home, near Tunbridge Wells Photograph: Selwyn Tait/Corbis Sygma

1971: Education secretary Margaret Thatcher visits a school. She was bitterly attacked as 'milk snatcher' in the press Photograph: Tom Stuttard for the Guardian

1974: Margaret Thatcher, the Conservative spokesman on the Environment, with William Whitelaw, the Pary Chairman at the Conservative party conference Photograph: The Guardian

1975: Margaret Thatcher leaves her house in London's Chelsea district, for her first day's work as a new head of Britain's Conservative party. Mrs Thatcher had to face the gentlemen of the press and of television. The first woman ever to head a political party in Britain, fixed herself a boiled egg for breakfast before leaving for the job Photograph: Bettmann/Corbis

1975: Opposition Leader Margaret Thatcher shows her European colours in Parliament Square as she links up with three of the young pro-Market campaigners starting a vigil beneath the statue of Sir Winston Churchill, on the day before polling for the Common Market referendum Photograph: PA

1976: Racing to the polls: Margaret Thatcher jogs around the Rotherham constituency with the Conservative candidate Douglas Hinckley Photograph: Don McPhee for the Guardian

1979: Labour Isn't Working. Margaret Thatcher speaks at the Conservative Local Government Conference at Caxton Hall, London when she angrily accused the Government of having tried to whip up non-existent emotions in the referendum campaigns. Unemployment was set to reach a major milestone, falling below a million for the first time in more than 25 years dropping to its lowest level since December 1975. Photograph: PA

1979: Margaret Thatcher outside 10 Downing Street following her election as Prime Minister in May Photograph: PA

1980: Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, in white overalls, a miner's helmet and donkey jacket for her trip down a mine shaft at the Wistow colliery in the Selby coalfield Photograph: PA

1982: Together at Chequers. Mrs Thatcher with her son Mark who returned to Britain after going missing for six days in the Sahara Desert during the Paris - Dakar rally Photograph: PA

1983: Margaret Thatcher visiting British troops on the Falkland Islands. Y Company 1st Battalion Royal Hampshire Regiment surround Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sir John Fieldhouse at Goose green, East Falklands Photograph: PA

1983: Jubilant Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher waves to well-wishers after her election win at Tory Party headquarters Photograph: PA

1984: Exterior of the Grand Hotel, after a powerful IRA bomb aimed for Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her cabinet exploded killing at least 2 people and injuring 30 others Photograph: Sipa Press/Rex Features

1984: Margaret Thatcher reaches up to shake someone's hand at the Liverpool Festival Photograph: Denis Thorpe for the Guardian

1985: President Ronald Reagan and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher walk Reagan's dog Lucky on the White House lawn Photograph: Jim Hubbard/Bettmann/Corbis

1986: Margaret Thatcher at the opening of the M25 motorway Photograph: Martin Argles/Guardian

1986: Margaret Thatcher out for spin in Union Jack-flying Challenger tank during manoeuvres at the NATO training ground near Falling Bostel Photograph: Peter Jordan/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images

1987: Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev at the start of talks at the Kremlin in Moscow Photograph: AFP

1987: Spitting Image puppets of Margaret Thatcher, Neil Kinnock, David Steel and David Owen with a model of the Houses of Parliament Photograph: ITV/Rex Features

1987: Prime minister Margaret Thatcher in Downing Street, London, at the start of her third term in office Photograph: Hulton Archive

1989: Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher stands on top of the nuclear reactor at Torness Power Station, East Lothian Photograph: Murdo Macleod

1990: Margaret Thatcher leaving Downing Street Photograph: Graham Turner for the Guardian

1992: Former prime minister Margaret Thatcher holding a cup of tea Photograph: Jane Bown

2000: Lady Thatcher and Iain Duncan Smith at the Conservative Party Conference in Bournemouth Photograph: Chris Ison/PA

2003: Baroness Margaret Thatcher reunited with her husband Sir Denis Thatcher when he returned home after spending the last few weeks recovering from his six-hour coronary by-pass operation Photograph: John Stillwell/PA

2003: Former British Prime Minister Baroness Thatcher and daughter Carol outside the Chapel of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London, where the funeral of Baroness Thatcher's husband, Sir Denis Thatcher, took place Photograph: John D McHugh/AP

2003: Baroness Thatcher sits alone as she waits for the start of the State Opening of Parliament at the Palace of Westminster in London Photograph: PA

2007: Former British Prime Minister Baroness Thatcher shakes hands with British Prime Minister Tony Blair during commemorations marking the 25th anniversary of the Britain-Falklands conflict Photograph: Ian Jones/AFP

2007: Prime Minister Gordon Brown with Baroness Thatcher outside 10 Downing Street Photograph: Alessandro Abbonizio/AFP/Getty Images

2009: Baroness Thatcher stands at the front door of her home after returning from the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital following an operation on her broken arm. The former Prime Minister has had a pin placed in her shoulder after suffering a fall at home Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

2010: Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is assisted in the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament at the Palace of Westminster in May Photograph: Arthur Edwards/AP

2010: Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher looks towards the camera as she meets Prime Minister David Cameron inside 10 Downing Street Photograph: Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters