Margaret Thatcher funeral: A fitting farewell
[gallery] The nation today paid its last respects to Margaret Thatcher – as her family said their final farewells to a 'beloved mother'.
Thousands of people lined the funeral procession route from Parliament to St Paul's Cathedral.
A gun carriage bearing the coffin was escorted by a Band of the Royal Marines as they made their way slowly to St Paul's.
During the procession, which was accompanied by the sound of a Processional Minute Gun salute, mourners broke into spontaneous applause as the coffin went by.
On top of the coffin, draped in the Union flag, was a large wreath of white roses bearing a hand-written card inscribed 'Beloved Mother – always in our hearts'.
Follow live updates from our team of reporters in London here:
Inside St Paul's, the Queen headed a long list of dignitaries from around the world, former colleagues and celebrities who had gathered to honour Britain's first and only woman prime minister. Chancellor George Osborne, sitting behind David and Samantha Cameron, was among those seen in tears during the service.
Mr Cameron along with Lady Thatcher's grand-daughter Amanda both gave readings, while the address was delivered by the Bishop of London Richard Chartres. He said: "After the storm of a life led in the heat of political controversy, there is a great calm. The storm of conflicting opinions centres on the Mrs Thatcher who became a symbolic figure – even an 'ism'. Today the remains of the real Margaret Hilda Thatcher are here at her funeral service."
Scroll down for video footage from Lady Thatcher's funeral
Earlier Mr Cameron insisted that by winning the big arguments Lady Thatcher had actually settled divisions.
"In a way we are all Thatcherites now," he said. "It is inevitable that some people take a different view but the point about division is important because she was a bold politician who recognised that consensus was failing, she created a new consensus."
He went on: "She was the first woman prime minister, she served for longer in the job than anyone for 150 years, she achieved some extraordinary things in her life. I think what is happening today is absolutely fitting and right."
Sir Mark said his mother would have been 'humbled' to know the Queen was attending her funeral. "I would like to say how enormously proud and grateful we are that Her Majesty agreed to attend the service.
They later went to the Lord Mayor's official residence in the city of London today for a post-funeral reception.
Lady Thatcher's ceremonial funeral, which is one level below a full state funeral, has been described as a 'fitting tribute' to the former prime minister, who changed the face of British politics. However, a small group of protesters gathered to demonstrate against the 'glorifying' of the funeral and the £10 million cost, but there have been no arrests as yet.
At dawn today, Union Flags and the national flags of the UK were lowered to half-mast at Government buildings and other locations across the country as a mark of respect.
Special reports from Baroness Thatcher's funeral in London in tonight's Shropshire Star
