Leaving the cathedral: Baroness Thatcher's coffin is carried down the steps of St Paul's by the bearer party before being taken to a private cremation ceremony

Sombre: Lady Thatcher's family, including (l-r) daughter Carol Thatcher, Marco Grass, Sarah Thatcher, son Mark Thatcher, grandson Michael Thatcher and granddaughter Amanda Thatcher, with the Queen and Prince Philip (behind) outside St Paul's

Respectful: Queen Elizabeth II speaks with (L-R) Marco Grass, Carol Thatcher, Sarah Thatcher and shakes hands with Sir Mark Thatcher as they leave St Paul's

Fantastic setting: An overhead view of guests attending the ceremonial funeral with Baroness Thatcher's coffin shown draped in a Union flag below St Paul's famous dome

Controversial: The Bishop of London struck the day's one sour note with his address, referring to the Tolpuddle Martyrs and how Lady Thatcher was just an ordinary woman in a series of barbed comments, while David Cameron gave a reading

Address: The Right Reverend Richard Chartres said: 'After the storm of a life led in the heat of political controversy, there is a great calm. The storm of conflicting opinions centres on the Mrs Thatcher who became a symbolic figure - even an ism'

Position: The prime minister paid tribute to the woman who won three general elections for the Conservatives

Poignant: A tri-service bearer party, drawn from ships, squadrons and regiments associated with the Falklands, take the coffin on their shoulders as the gun carriage draws away

Royal guest: The Queen leaves St Paul's Cathedral with the Bishop of London (left) and the Lord Mayor of London (right) after the service

Protocol: The Queen was attending her first political funeral since Sir Winston Churchill's in 1965, and stopped to speak to people as she left

Emotional time: Mark Thatcher scratches his eye as he leaves the funeral service with his wife Sarah and son Michael

Service: The coffin of British former prime minister Margaret Thatcher rests as the 2,300 mourners stand during her ceremonial funeral

Difficult time: Lady Thatcher's son Mark Thatcher, his sister Carol and other family members listen to prayers during the service

Confident: Margaret Thatcher's only granddaughter, Amanda, paid tribute to the former Prime Minister with a clear and heartfelt reading at her funeral

Shedding a tear: Chancellor George Osborne becomes emotional during the service for the former Conservative Prime Minister

David Cameron appears to wipe a tear from his eye as his wife Samantha looks on. Also pictured is former Conservative Prime Minister John Major

Belting it out: David Cameron, George Osborne, the Duke of Edinburgh and The Queen sign a hymn during the service

Rousing tune: Baroness Thatcher is believed to have begun making arrangements eight years ago for the service, which featured the hymn I Vow to Thee, My Country

Ready for the service: The congregation, which comprises friends, family and dignitaries from around the world, talk among themselves

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Sombre, but spectacular: More than 2,000 guests attended the service, including 50 associated with the Falklands, 11 serving prime ministers and two heads of state

Divided opinion, but was respected: A long list of celebrities, old friends and foes will join royalty and world leaders past and present to pay their last respects to Britain's greatest peacetime prime minister

Family: Lady Thatcher's grandchildren, Amanda and Michael (left), wait for their grandmother's coffin to arrive at St Paul's as her son, Mark and his wife Sarah enter

Sad: The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh look on as the bearer party, dressed in their regimental or service uniform, bring the coffin into the cathedral

Nearing her final journey: The Union Flag-draped coffin of Lady Thatcher just after it arrives outside St Paul's on a horse-drawn gun carriage

Grand entrance: The gun carriage carrying the coffin drawn by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery arrives at St Paul's Cathedral

Military honours: The coffin was carried on one of six First World War-era gun carriages of the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery, used routinely for gun salutes, most recently to mark the 61st anniversary of the Queen's accession to the throne

Armed police stand guard over the crowds as the funeral procession, led by a marching band, makes its way through central London

Showing their respects in different ways: Pockets of onlookers applauded as the hearse travelled up Whitehall, past Downing Street, while others fell silent

State occasion: The Queen, who has only ever been to the funeral of one Prime Minister, that of Winston Churchill's in 1965, arrives at St Paul's

Paying respect: Former Prime Ministers John Major (C) and Tony Blair with their wives Norma Major and Cherie Blair (L) arrive at St Paul's Cathedral

Remembering a fellow PM: Current Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha arrive dressed in black for the funeral service

Attendees: British opera singer Katherine Jenkins and London Mayor Boris Johnson are also among the guests for the funeral service

Guests: The Duchess of York and army veteran Simon Weston, who suffered horrific injuries during the Falklands War, arrive at St Paul's to pay their respects

Taking their position: Former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown, former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Minister without portfolio Ken Clarke

Mourners: Friends, family and dignitaries gather on the steps of St Paul's Cathedral ahead of the service which will take place at 11am

Rammed: Some onlookers had been waiting in Fleet Street for hours to welcome the funeral cortege

Overcome with emotion: A member of public reacts as the coffin containing late former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher is taken from St Clement Danes church

Clamber to see: Lady Thatcher, who died last week, was the first British female Prime Minister and served from 1979 to 1990

Paying tribute: A supporter holds a 'Thank you, Mrs Thatcher' sign as crowds gather outside St Paul's Cathedral ahead of her funeral

Patriots: A man holds a Union Jack umbrella as he leans against a post box as crowds prepare to welcome Lady Thatcher's coffin at St Paul's

Emotional scenes: Lady Thatcher's body driven past the Houses of Parliament, where she served for more than five decades