Sir Mark Thatcher's Biography

Mark Thatcher married Diane Bergdorf in 1987, however they announced their divorce in September 2005.

The official announcement said that they would "participate jointly" in the upbringing of their children - Michael and Amanda. Whilst the children would live with Diane in the USA, Sir Mark Thatcher would live in Europe - his application for a visa extension having been declined by the USA.

Mark Thatcher became a racing driver and notoriously lost his way in the Sahara during the Paris-Dakar Rally.

His business dealings have been controversial. He set up Monteagle Marketing which was paid a £50,000 consultancy fee after Mark Thatcher helped in a £300 million deal to build a university in Oman, where his mother Mrs Thatcher was on an official visit when the deal was secured.

Mark Thatcher was arrested in August 2004 in connection with an alleged coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea.

In January 2005, having originally denied being involved in a plan to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea, it was reported that Mark Thatcher was to plead guilty to being negligent in investing in an aircraft that was thought to have been used by people alleged to have been plotting a coup.

Reports suggested that there was a plea bargain and that Thatcher would receive a suspended sentence and a fine. It was also suggested that he intended to leave South Africa.