Dress rehearsal for Thatcher funeral held

LONDON, April 15 (UPI) -- The British military rehearsed the funeral for former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Monday as some criticized the cost of two processions, officials said.

Thatcher, who died April 8 of a stroke, is scheduled to be buried Wednesday after a funeral procession from St. Clement Danes, the church of the Royal Air Force, to St. Paul's Cathedral in London, The Guardian reported Monday.

The military held a dress rehearsal from 4:45 to 6:30 a.m. local time Monday, complete with a weighted, flag-draped coffin and a band playing funeral marches by Chopin, Beethoven and Mendelssohn, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Some Britons complained about the cost of not only the large public funeral, but its rehearsal as well, the Telegraph reported.

"Can't believe Maggy has a rehearsal funeral!! Some ppl in this country work all their life and can't afford a funeral but we pay for her 2!" Natalie Dixon said on Twitter.

"Why does Thatcher's funeral need a dress rehearsal? Walk forwards and don't drop the box, it's not hard," Joe Andrews, another critic, added.

Maj. Andrew Chatburn, ceremonial staff officer for the Household Division, who was in charge of coordinating the parade, said a dress rehearsal was "vitally important."

"Bearing in mind these are sailors, soldiers and airmen who have come in to do this specific task from their routine duties, so it's new to them," he said.