Mark Thatcher

The Honourable Sir Mark Thatcher, 2nd Baronet (born August 15, 1953), is the only son of Sir Denis Thatcher and Margaret Thatcher, the former British Prime Minister.

Related Topics:
August 15 - 1953 - Sir Denis Thatcher - Margaret Thatcher - British Prime Minister

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In addition to his prominence as the only son of one of the world's best known politicians, Sir Mark has attracted headlines for his alleged arrogance, youthful playboy scrapes, troubled business associations, and his involvement in an attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea. In 2004, an unnamed South African hostess told The Telegraph that the baronet, who is reportedly worth in excess of £60,000,000, reminded her of one of the "amiable, entertaining twits" that inhabit the novels of P.G. Wodehouse.

Related Topics:
Equatorial Guinea - The Telegraph - P.G. Wodehouse

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In 1987, Mark Thatcher married Diane Burgdorf, the conservative Lutheran daughter of a millionaire Texas car dealer. They reportedly met at a party for D Magazine, a Dallas lifestyle publication, while Thatcher was living in Texas as a representative of the luxury automotive company Lotus Cars. They have a son and a daughter, Michael Thatcher and Amanda Margaret Thatcher. The family moved to South Africa possibly to avoid bad publicity because of allegations of racketeering that resulted in a £4 million civil action in 1994.

Related Topics:
D Magazine - Lotus Cars - South Africa

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On April 3, 2005, Sir Mark, then living with his widowed mother in London, announced that his family will reside in Europe after he was refused a residence visa to live in the United States, presumably as a result of his guilty plea in South Africa in re his alleged unwitting involvement in an attempted coup d'etat in Equatorial Guinea. His children, he stated, will be educated in the United States. In September 2005 his divorce was announced.

Related Topics:
April 3 - 2005 - Equatorial Guinea

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