Mark Thatcher

British noted family, the first born of twins to Margaret Thatcher. His sister Carol was born precisely two minutes later. Of the two, Mark has a reputation for making the news while Carol reports it. His life appears to be a succession of wrong turns. Unpopular at school at Harrow, he has taken jobs as a mechanic and in sales. He wanted to race cars but ended up at 26 doing office work. During that year, his mother became Prime Minister, on 5 May 1979. Within the next four years he became a millionaire and within the decade was worth 40 million pounds. With his mom one of the most powerful figures in the world, he learned to exploit his name and play upon his position. Making contracts through inner information, he hid his money in an intricate series of accounts and companies. Neither bright nor gracious, Mark is a user of people for arms deals, advertisements and promotions. In December 1984 he met Texas beauty Diane Burgdorf, the daughter of a well-to-do car salesman. They married on 13 February 1987 and their son Michael was born 28 February 1989 in Dallas, with a daughter four years later, Amanda. Mark continued his remarkable history by earning the name of a cold, rude, unfaithful husband. On 25 August 2004, the millionaire son of the former UK Prime Minister was arrested at his home in the Cape Town suburb of Constantia in South Africa. Thatcher denies the charges that he conspired to overthrow the government in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea by financing a coup. Held under house arrest after posting bail of two million Rand (approximately £165,000 or $300,000), his court appearance was in November. In a surprise appearance in front of a South African court on 13 January 2005, Mark Thatcher avoided jail by pleading guilty and paying a $500,000 fine on 13 January 2005. He claimed he unwittingly played a role in a failed 2004 coup to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea. While he admitted that he financed a helicopter used by mercenaries, he added that he thought it was to be used for humanitarian purposes as an air ambulance. Immediately after his plea-bargain was accepted, Thatcher left South Africa to join his family in the United States. He may still face legal action in Equatorial Guinea. Link to Wikipedia biography