Margaret Thatcher: Funeral Next Wednesday

Margaret Thatcher is deserving of a state funeral, her supporters have said, as preparations for a ceremonial farewell for Britain's first and only woman prime minister got under way.

Her funeral will take place next Wednesday at St Paul's Cathedral - and will be attended by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, as well as other heads of state and foreign dignitaries from across the globe.

Some Tory MPs have expressed their disappointment that the 87-year-old has not been granted a state funeral - even though such a ceremony would be against her own wishes.

Peter Bone, MP for Wellingborough, said she should have "the highest kind of funeral that can be allowed".

"I would have thought a state funeral would be very appropriate. She was the first female prime minister. She was also the greatest peacetime prime minister we ever had," he told the Daily Mail.

However, it is understood she did not want to lie in state, or attract controversy, and thought a fly-past would be a waste of money.

Lady Thatcher's body was removed shortly after midnight by private ambulance from the Ritz Hotel in central London where she suffered a stroke, following her death on Monday morning .

 The former prime minister will be laid to rest with a televised ceremonial funeral with full military honours - the same status afforded to the Queen Mother and Princess Diana.

 The last non-royal honoured with a state funeral was Sir Winston Churchill in 1965.

For such a ceremony to be granted to a non-royal, a parliamentary vote must be passed to permit public funds for a state funeral.

The day before Lady Thatcher's funeral her coffin will be transferred to the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft in the Palace of Westminster. There will be a short service following its arrival before the coffin rests in the chapel overnight.

A Downing Street statement said: "On the day itself, the streets will be cleared of traffic and the coffin will travel by hearse from the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft in the Palace of Westminster to the Church of St Clement Danes, the RAF Chapel, on the Strand.

"At the church the coffin will be transferred to a gun carriage drawn by the King's Troop Royal Artillery. The coffin will then be borne in procession from St Clement Danes to St Paul's Cathedral.

"The route will be lined by tri-service military personnel."

At St Paul's it will be met by a guard of honour as members of the armed services and pensioners of the Royal Hospital Chelsea line the steps.

The service will reportedly be followed by a private cremation.

The public will not be able to attend the funeral service itself but will be able to line the route of the procession.

 Lady Thatcher's family have asked that if people wish to pay their respects, they consider making a donation to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, rather than laying flowers.

Parliament has been recalled from Easter recess on Wednesday to allow MPs to voice their tributes to the former Tory prime minister.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who has already hailed Lady Thatcher as "a great Briton" , is expected to give a statement to the Commons, followed by Ed Miliband, the Labour leader.

Mr Miliband said on Monday that while he "disagreed with much of what she did", he respected "her extraordinary achievements and her extraordinary personal strength".

Friends and foes alike marked the end of an era.

While some laid lowers in tribute outside Lady Thatcher's home in Belgravia, London - others took to the streets to rejoice.

Bottles and cans were thrown at police officers - injuring six - when a scuffle broke out at a party in Bristol where some 200 people assembled to celebrate.

There were similar scenes in south London, where more than 100 people gathered in Brixton - the scene of fierce riots in 1981, two years into Lady Thatcher's first term in office.

A crowd of 300 gathered in Glasgow's George Square, where in 1989 protests at the introduction of the infamous poll tax took place.

Many on the Left have condemned the social impacts of her policies encouraging the free market and stripping power from unions during her 11 years in office.

Her death was also welcomed by veterans of the Falklands conflict in Argentina , who blamed her for the deaths of the 649 troops who died during the 74-day war.

But the news was received with "great sadness" by islanders on the Falklands, who flew the union flags at half mast and hailed her intervention 31 years ago./Sky News