Margaret Thatcher’s controversial career was virtually ruined by her questionable friendships and her policies that incited riots.

Born Margaret Hilda Roberts, she spent most of her childhood in Grantham. Her family owned a small apartment above her father’s store, but it lacked basic amenities such as running water and central heating.

Before entering politics, Thatcher earned a degree in chemistry from Oxford. She put her knowledge to use and worked as a research chemist at BX Plastics in 1947. In 1949, she was a research chemist at J. Lyons and Co., where she helped develop soft-serve ice cream.

In 1950, she became the youngest (and only) female candidate to run in the general election for the Labour seat in Dartford. After losing the first time, she ran again in 1951, but was also unsuccessful the following year.

It was not until 1959 that she finally won a seat in the House of Commons; she became the Conservative member of Parliament for Finchley. However, although she had made her way in politics, it took her nearly a decade to rise to a more prominent position.

Before her major breakthrough in 1970 as Secretary of State for Education and Science, she served as Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Pensions, becoming the youngest woman in history to hold that position. At that time, people began to see her as a future prime minister.

When she was appointed Minister of Education and Science, Thatcher quickly took controversial measures. Although her predecessor had done the same for older children, she called for the elimination of free milk for schoolchildren aged 7 to 11, which earned her the nickname “Mrs. Thatcher, Milk Snatcher.”

In 1973, the local press criticized the sound of her voice, and it was comments like these that led her advisor, Gordon Reece, to fear she might lose votes. However, he happened to meet the famous actor Laurence Olivier, who suggested she work with his voice coach—which she did—and the results had a major impact on her stage presence.

1976 was the year Thatcher publicly attacked the Soviet Union, describing it as “determined to dominate the world.” It was this foreign policy speech that earned her the nickname “Iron Lady,” which would stay with her throughout her career.

In 1979, she became Prime Minister—a monumental achievement, as she was the first woman to hold that office in Great Britain. Although there were, of course, critics, her speech at the 1980 Conservative Party conference gave rise to her famous line: “The lady’s not for turning! ” (The lady won’t change her mind!). At the end, her words were met with a five-minute standing ovation.

One of the most significant measures Thatcher implemented was the 1980 Housing Act, which allowed public housing tenants to purchase their homes. That said, this measure did not really yield the best results. Its long-term effects led to an increase in the number of homeless people, a significant decrease in the number of public housing units, and a massive rise in rents.

During her tenure as prime minister, Thatcher held weekly meetings with Queen Elizabeth II. Although this might seem like a success, their relationship soon raised questions. Rumors began to circulate about their tense meetings, and by the mid-1980s, it became apparent that the queen was indifferent to some of Thatcher’s policies.

The higher you climb the ladder of power, the more people try to bring you down—a hard lesson Thatcher learned while preparing for a Conservative Party conference in 1984. At the time, she was staying at a hotel in Brighton, where she narrowly escaped a bomb planted by the IRA. That bomb claimed the lives of several people.

Thatcher was not supportive of labor unions, and her policies often brought her into conflict with the working class. Her government sought to close dozens of coal mines and put tens of thousands of people out of work, leading to a historic strike in 1984 that resulted in violence, arrests, and the closure of nearly all coal mines over the next 20 years.

Thatcher was close to the famous children’s TV host (and notorious criminal) Jimmy Savile. She repeatedly pushed for him to be knighted, despite several refusals. It wasn’t until 1990 that this finally happened.

Article 28 was a controversial provision of the 1988 Local Government Act; it stipulated that local authorities could not “promote homosexuality.” This decision led to the closure of many LGBTQ support groups and even the banning of any discussion of the topic in schools.

Left-wing politicians and academics have long regarded Thatcher as a proponent of racism. During her interview on the program World in Action, she stated that people were increasingly afraid of immigration, which made headlines everywhere. At a meeting in the House of Commons in 1978, Thatcher was even heckled by people shouting “Racist!” at her.

Despite all the controversy surrounding her name, Thatcher remained in office for a long time. With nearly 12 years in power, she was the British prime minister who served the longest in the 20th century. The last person to hold that office for such a long time was in the 19th century.

She has published two memoirs, one titled The Downing Street Years and the other titled The Path to Power. The latter chronicles her life up to her appointment as prime minister, while The Downing Street Years focuses primarily on her tenure in that office.

Thatcher died in April 2013 following a stroke. The news of her death sparked both admiration for her tenure and public outrage. However, Queen Elizabeth II attended her funeral—the second and last time she had done so for a former prime minister, after Churchill.

It may not be a public holiday, but that hasn’t stopped the Falkland Islands from celebrating Margaret Thatcher Day. In 2015, a bust of her was unveiled, and the islanders continue to this day to honor her visit on January 10.