Editing Mark Thatcher (section)

{{Short description|British baronet, businessman and son of Margaret Thatcher (born 1953)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2012}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix   = [[The Honourable]]
| name               = Sir Mark Thatcher
| honorific_suffix   = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100|Bt}}
| image              = 
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|1953|8|15|df=y}}
| birth_place        = [[Hammersmith]], [[London]], England
| occupation         = Businessman
| education          = [[Harrow School]]
| spouse             = {{ubl|{{marriage|Diane Burgdorf|1987|2005|end=div}}|{{marriage|Sarah-Jane Russell|March 2008}}}}
| children           = 2
| father             = [[Denis Thatcher]]
| mother             = [[Margaret Thatcher|Margaret Roberts]]
| relations          = {{plainlist|
*[[Carol Thatcher]] (twin sister)
*[[Alfred Roberts]] (maternal grandfather)}}
| family             = [[Thatcher baronets|Thatcher family]]
}}
'''Sir Mark Thatcher, 2nd Baronet''' (born 15 August 1953) is an English businessman. He is the son of [[Margaret Thatcher]], [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]] from 1979 to 1990, and [[Sir Denis Thatcher, 1st Baronet]]; his sister is [[Carol Thatcher]].

His early career in business led to suggestions that he was benefiting from his mother's position, notably in relation to the [[Al-Yamamah arms deal]]. He left the UK in 1986, and has since lived in the [[United States]], [[Switzerland]], [[Monaco]], [[South Africa]], [[Gibraltar]], [[Barbados]], [[Guernsey]], and [[Spain]]. In 2003  ''[[The Sunday Times]]'' estimated his wealth at £60 million, most of which was suggested to be in [[offshore accounts]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/africa-travel/south-africa/thatchers-son-joins-rich-with-pound60m-haul-xbqzfmz6g9d|publisher=The Sunday Times|title=Thatcher's son joins rich with £60m haul|date=14 September 2003}}</ref>

In 2005, he was convicted and given a four-year suspended prison sentence and fined in [[South Africa]] for funding the [[2004 Equatorial Guinea coup attempt]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4169557.stm|publisher=BBC News|title=Thatcher fined over 'coup plot'|date=13 January 2005}}</ref>

He has two children by his first wife, Diane Burgdorf. He married his second wife, Sarah-Jane Russell (''née'' Clemence), in 2008.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/mark-thatcher-the-wayward-son-who-finds-himself-torn-between-publicity-and-propriety-8566597.html|date=10 April 2013|work=The Independent|title=Mark Thatcher: The wayward son who finds himself torn between publicity and propriety}}</ref>  Following his father's death in 2003, he became Sir Mark Thatcher and succeeded to the [[Thatcher baronetcy]], a [[hereditary title]] which had unusually been given to his father in 1990 (this being the only [[baronet]]cy created since 1964).<ref name="debretts1964">{{cite web|url=http://www.debretts.com/people/essential-guide-to-the-peerage/the-baronetage.aspx|title=The Baronetage|publisher=Debretts|quote=The creation of baronetcies lapsed in 1964; in 1990 the Conservative Government announced that this honour would be given to Denis Thatcher, but there have been no further creations|access-date=13 April 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130225002039/http://www.debretts.com/people/essential-guide-to-the-peerage/the-baronetage.aspx|archive-date=25 February 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1990/dec/18/points-of-order|title=Points of Order|date=18 December 1990|work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]]|quote=As I understand your ruling, Mr. Speaker, it is out of order for us in any way to criticise the advice that a Prime Minister gives to the monarch about granting honours. I was deeply critical when I proposed the introduction of my Bill. What is more, the House gave me leave to introduce it. I was supported by many hon. Members throughout the House. Although honours may technically be awarded by the Queen, we all know that advice is given by the Prime Minister. Just as it is in order to criticise Cabinet Ministers who may technically—}}</ref>