FAMILY, friends and close political colleagues of Baroness Thatcher paid their respects to the former Prime Minister in a private service in the Palace Of Westminster.

Her daughter Carol was in tears following the brief but emotional service in the crypt chapel of St Mary Undercroft, ahead of today's ceremonial funeral at St Paul's Cathedral.

Around 150 guests, including son Sir Mark Thatcher and several members of Lady Thatcher's government, filed past her coffin, many pausing to bow in respect to the UK's first female Prime Minister, who died last week at the age of 87.

On top of the coffin, draped in the Union flag, was a large bouquet of white roses bearing a hand-written card inscribed "Beloved Mother – Always in our Hearts".

As Carol Thatcher left the chapel following the 15-minute service, she paused to wipe away tears before descending the staircase into Westminster Hall.

Brother Mark patted her back to comfort her while they walked away, surrounded by family, close friends and senior political figures.

The simple service of reception of the body, led by the Dean Of Westminster, The Very Reverend Dr John Hall, featured prayers and a reading from the Gospel Of St John.

Work and Pensions Secretary and former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith, who was one of the most senior political figures to attend the ceremony, said: "It was very moving, short but moving, very sombre.

"Lots of people were there for personal reasons – each of us summing up what you owe her."

Conservative MP Brooks Newmark, who got to know Baroness Thatcher through his involvement in the Women2Win campaign, said: "It was a short ceremony, very moving, for people to say a prayer to her.

"Each guest had a turn to pay their respects at the coffin, most people with a bow."

Among senior figures attending were Thatcher-era ministers Lord (Cecil) Parkinson and Francis Maude, with Conservative MPs and peers, including Nicholas Soames, Lord (Patrick) Cormack, Andrew Tyrie, Bernard Jenkin, Philip Davies, Julian Lewis, Bill Cash, Mark Pritchard and Priti Patel.

Commons Speaker John Bercow was present, with deputies Lindsay Hoyle and Nigel Evans, as were Leader Of The House Andrew Lansley and Chief Whip Sir George Young and their Labour counterparts Angela Eagle and Rosie Winterton.

Prime Minister David Cameron did not attend the service.

Tory MP Conor Burns, a close friend and confidant who visited the former premier almost every Sunday evening at her home, said the service was "beautiful".

He added: "It was very small, very intimate, very personal.

MR BURNS said he "got a bit of a jolt" when he entered the chapel and saw the coffin but said it was "absolutely fitting" that before today's final send-off "she came back to the place that really made the legend of Margaret Thatcher."

The ornately-decorated medieval chapel – underneath St Stephen's Hall in the Palace of Westminster – remained open last night for MPs, peers and Parliamentary staff to pay their respects to Lady Thatcher.

Her body lay in rest overnight in the chapel, where the Speaker's Chaplain, The Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin, kept vigil.

Today's funeral is expected to see the biggest security operation in London since last year's Olympics.

Her coffin will travel by hearse from Parliament's Chapel of St Mary Undercroft to the Church Of St Clement Danes in the Strand.

The coffin will then be transferred to a gun carriage drawn by the King's Troop Royal Artillery for the journey to St Paul's Cathedral.

The Ministry Of Defence has revealed the names of the service personnel who will bear the coffin.

The party has been drawn from ships, squadrons and regiments particularly associated with the 1982 Falklands conflict.

Among them will be Lance Sergeant Paul Quayle, 31, of East Kilbride. He will be representing F Company Scots Guards.

After the service, which is set to begin at 11am, the coffin will be taken to a private service where Lady Thatcher will be cremated.

The Metropolitan Police have not said exactly how many officers will be deployed to police the occasion, but about 4000 are expected to be on duty.

The Met has acknowledged the "potential for protest" but says it wants to ensure the wishes of those paying their respects will be upheld.

THE FUNERAL WILL BE ATTENDED BY...

l 2 heads of state

l 11 serving prime ministers

l 17 serving foreign ministers

l 30 members of Thatcher Cabinets

l 170 countries officially represented

l 755 Armed Forces personnel

l 2300 guests

l 4000 police officers