The Truth About Queen Elizabeth's Relationship With Margaret Thatcher

Although Queen Elizabeth is busy leading the British monarchy, she makes time for friendships outside of royal duties. She was surprisingly close to Reverend Billy Graham before his death at the age of 99, according to Reader's Digest. He spoke fondly of her in his autobiography, "Just As I Am." "No one in Britain has been more cordial toward us than Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Almost every occasion I have been with her has been in a warm, informal setting, such as a luncheon or dinner, either alone or with a few family members or other close friends," he wrote.

The queen's inner circle also includes Angela Kelly, her longtime assistant and dressmaker, who began working for Her Majesty in 1993. Kelly spends a lot of time getting the queen ready for appearances, so it's no wonder they are close. Despite her "commoner" status, the queen allegedly enjoys the company of those who don't live inside the palace walls. Wouldn't you?

So, it's obvious the queen knows pretty much everyone when it comes to world leaders (she's met with 13 of the last 14 sitting presidents after all). But how did she get along with former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher? Now, there's a thinker. Keep reading for more details.

Queen Elizabeth and Margaret Thatcher were known for their "complicated" relationship, according to Town & Country. Thatcher served as Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990 which required her to meet with the queen on a regular basis, per Biography.

According to the royal website, "Though the queen remains politically neutral on all matters, she is able to 'advise and warn' her ministers — including her Prime Minister — when necessary." Rumors swirled of a frosty relationship between the two women, and Thatcher would arrive 15 minutes early for a meeting. The queen would reportedly make her wait, according to the documentary "The Queen and Her Prime Ministers" (via Tatler). 

Everything reportedly came to a head in 1986 when the Sunday Times (via Daily Mail) published a headline that read the queen was "dismayed by an uncaring" Thatcher. The report dove into their different views on South Africa's "white-led government during apartheid." The queen was concerned about tensions among Commonwealth leaders and found Thatcher to be "uncaring, confrontational, and divisive," per the Associated Press. Elizabeth reportedly apologized for the article and honored Thatcher with the Order of Merit, per The Times (via Town & Country). Clearly, their relationship was icy at best.