Jeffrey Archer: Margaret Thatcher is so ill she doesn't recognise me
JEFFREY Archer has revealed his pain that long-time friend Margaret Thatcher no longer recognises who he is due to her declining health.
The author, who was made deputy chairman of the Conservatives by the former Prime Minister in 1985, said it's 'so terribly sad' to see her unwell.
The 72-year-old also described Baroness Thatcher as one of the most remarkable women he's ever met, alongside wife Mary and mother Lola.
Speaking to Reader's Digest, the former Tory MP said: "I still see her and get weekly updates - she’s not well.
"Mary and I were among her closest friends; Margaret adored Mary. Now she doesn’t even know who I am. So terribly sad."
Archer was forced to resign the year after the 87-year-old made him deputy chairman after it emerged he made payments to prostitute Monica Coghlan.
During the time that he worked with her, the best-selling writer said the only female Prime Minister's strongest characteristic was her conviction.
He said: "As an MP, I obviously knew Margaret before she became prime minister. What drew me to her was conviction.
"If she believed something, she fought for it and followed it through. These days—the Tony Blairs and the David Camerons—it’s all about focus groups."
• To read the full interview see the April issue of Reader's Digest, out in shops on the 19th March.