Face etched with grief: Carol Thatcher returns to her mother's home

Face etched with grief: Carol Thatcher returns to her mother's home

•Carol Thatcher arrive in London ahead of funeral of Baroness Thatcher


•She was greeted by twin brother Mark at Thatcher's London home tonight

•First public appearance together since funeral of their father Sir Denis



•MPs and peers will be able to pay respects on the eve of her funeral



•White House still yet decide who will represent United States at St Paul's

•2,000 written invites will be sent out by Downing Street today



By Paul Revoir

PUBLISHED: 19:23 GMT, 12 April 2013

Carol Thatcher returned to Britain last night to help with the preparations for her mother’s funeral.

Miss Thatcher, who lives in Klosters, Switzerland, arrived at her mother’s home in Belgravia shortly before 7pm.

She arrived in a black Jaguar accompanied by a casually dressed man believed to be her boyfriend Marco Grass.

 Grief: Carol Thatcher arrives at the home of Lady Thatcher in Belgravia, London this afternoon

 Unity: Mark Thatcher puts a comforting arm around his twin sister before quickly ushering her inside their late mother's London townhouse.

Family photo: Carol and Mark Thatcher pose outside Lady Thatcher's Belgravia home with their partners, Miss Thatcher's boyfriend Marco Grass and Sir Mark's wife Sarah


Dressed in a black shawl with black trousers and large dark sunglasses, the 59-year-old appeared emotional as she was met on the steps by her twin brother Mark who quickly ushered her into the house.

In comparison, the BBC will provide more heavyweight coverage through veteran presenter David Dimbleby, who will front a three-hour special.

ITV insiders say proposals for a special programme fronted by its journalists were rejected because of the cost, understood to be in the region of £500,000.

One reporter on ITV News said: ‘There is always disappointment when you are leaving full coverage to others.’

Meanwhile it has been reported that Italy premier Silvio Berlusconi will not be attending the funeral, despite a concerted effort to gain an invitation.

Mr Berlusconi’s office made ‘numerous and insistent’ phone calls to the Italian embassy in London, but acting prime minister Mario Monti will represent Italy.

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