The much-hyped antipathy between the Queen and Margaret Thatcher when PM, is featured in the latest episode of Netflix’s The Crown. Despite criticism that much of this season’s series has played fast and loose with the truth, there were grounds for covering the spat which surfaced in the Sunday Times in July 1986, with HMQ describing Thatcher as ‘uncaring’ for her stance in refusing to condemn apartheid in South Africa. In the heated aftermath the Queen’s press secretary Michael O’Shea was forced to resign.
In reality there was never as much ongoing hostility between the two grande dames as was made out. Though their similarities wouldn’t always make for a relaxed connection. Both had Saturn in obsessively conscientious Scorpio – Thatcher on her Ascendant and HMQ on her Midheaven, so neither found open-hearted friendliness easy. Both also had Moon Neptune in Leo, so had an inclination to stand on their dignity.
HMQ’s Mercury in Aries opposed Maggie’s Mars for a mildly argumentative interface.
Their relationship chart had a private Water Grand Trine of Sun and North Node in a business-like trine to Saturn in an innovative trine to Uranus, formed into a Kite by a friendly Sun opposition Venus. It was hardly at daggers’ drawn though it did have an assertive and impatient Mars on the Ascendant trine Moon.
There would be minor rough edges which is hardly surprising given their different backgrounds and the fact that the Queen was probably to the left politically of Maggie’s true-blue Tory inclinations – though she’d never admit to it.
In later years the Queen extended personal honours to Maggie so there was clearly no lingering animosity.
Marjorie, Is it possible to do Gillian Anderson’s chart who plays Thatcher? She’s such a bloody good actress. I think she’s like the Meryl Streep of TV. Since she turned her back on Hollywood years ago, she returned to the UK and has been building quite a portfolio. She was brilliant as Blanche Dubois in Streetcar Named Desire for the National Theatre at Home airing during the lockdown this summer.
I knew she had ties to the UK, but I’m sure back in the 90’s while popular through the X Files that she had an American accent? I’m quite stunned by how British she speaks today! And pleased she is building her career here in the UK. Most actors tend to head out to the States like it’s the only way to make waves.
Born: August 9, 1968, Chicago, Illinois at 6.00 am.