Margaret Thatcher was renowned for becoming Great Britain's first female Prime Minister, serving from 1979 to 1990. Today, she died of a stroke at the age of 87. According to the New York Times, Thatcher was known as the "Iron Lady of British politics" who rescued the country from "35 years of socialism."
Thatcher was a controversial figure who eschewed "consensus politics," leading to anger, frustration and eventual rebellion from within her own party. She was also a supporter of apartheid in South Africa, and famously referred to Nelson Mandela as a "terrorist."
Despite being notoriously outspoken, Thatcher was a trailblazer and a respected international figure. She was portrayed by Meryl Streep in the 2011 biopic The Iron Lady, and Streep won the Academy Award for Best Actress.
[via Gothamist]
