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Britain
September 19, 2005
Thatcher marriage ends in
tatters
By Daniel McGrory
Sir Mark, who is barred from the US, and his Texan wife seek divorce after 'irretrievable breakdown' SIR MARK THATCHER revealed last night what the gossip columnists have long been predicting: his marriage is over. After what the 52-year-old millionaire admits has been a turbulent year, he and his wife, Diane, issued a joint statement saying they are seeking an end to their 18-year marriage on the grounds of an irretrievable breakdown. The son of Baroness Thatcher, the former Prime Minister, said he would now find a new base for himself in Europe while his American-born wife will remain in Texas with their children, Michael, 16, and Amanda, 12.His mother was the first to be told of their decision and was last night said to be saddened adding it was a private matter so she would say nothing further. The couple are refusing to go into details, alluding only to a difficult 12 months which have seen Sir Mark locked up in an African jail and banned by the US authorities from joining his wife and children at their new home in Texas because he is a convicted felon. Lawyers said last night that nothing would be said publicly about the financial settlement being thrashed out by the two sides by lawyers in Dallas. Estimates of Sir Marks wealth have varied wildly. Some observers have claimed he amassed a fortune with the help of arms deals and other business liaisons made with foreign governments, such as the Saudis, while his mother was in Downing Street. Friends claim that a series of reckless business ventures have left him with only a million and point out he had to ask his mother to post bail when he was arrested in Cape Town over his alleged involvement in a botched African coup. Observers described last nights announcement as the worst kept secret of the year. Yet Sir Mark had recently insisted he was seeking to rebuild his business empire and start afresh with his family and threatened legal action against anyone who said otherwise. Only last month he was spotted at his 52nd birthday party with an elegant young blonde woman by his side at a Berkshire restuarant popular with the polo set. A few days later he was was seen squiring a different blonde to a function at the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo. This favourite resort of playboys, Formula One drivers and tax exiles was rumoured to be one of the locations Sir Mark was considering as a future home. An American friend of the couple said Lady Thatcher, 44, had become exasperated by her husbands increasingly erratic business dealings. She added that as he was banned by the US authorities from living in America they both recognised that it was impossible to continue. Diane wants the children to finish their education in the States so it was better they revolved matters once and for all. The couple insisted that they remain totally committed to the future well-being of their children and will continue to participate jointly in their upbringing. They had a trial separation in 1994 but in recent weeks the couple have used marketing firms, former political press officers and well- placed friends to insist their marriage is sound. But life became impossible for the couple in January when Sir Mark was arrested at his impressive home in Constantia for bankrolling with wealthy friends a failed coup to take over the oil-rich dictatorship of Equatorial Guinea. His wife looked strained as their home was searched by South African police but said she believed in her husbands innocence and would stand by him. Shortly afterwards she flew back to Texas to be with her parents and childern. MARRIAGE LINESMark Thatcher married Diane Burgdorf, daughter of a millionaire Texan car dealer in 1987. Her father, Ted, described her as just an ordinary millionairess They bought a £400,000 mock Georgian home in Highland Park, Dallas, one of the richest suburbs The couple have two children, Michael, 16, and Amanda, 12 Mark Thatcher moved to Texas in 1984 to keep a low profile after newspaper reports of his involvement in a £300m building contract in Oman Became ambassador for Lotus cars and later invested in a mobile phone maker, reportedly earning £10 million Moved to South Africa with his family in 1995 after buying a £570,000 mansion in Cape Town His wife took children to Dallas after he was charged over failed coup in Equatorial Guinea Rumours of a separation were denied by Ted Burgdorf: Definitely not. For the kids sake she needs to be here. They were planning to come anyway, so nothing has changed, its just happened a little quicker
Mukefor |
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