Born within a year of each other, Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher were the two women who had the biggest impact on Britain in the 20th century. Olivier Award-winning comedy Handbagged speculates on what happened when they met behind closed palace doors.

It’s at Richmond Theatre from November 23 to 28.

With the two powerful women facing-off on stage, we pitted them together Top Trumps-style. Who wins, you decide.

Queen Elizabeth II

Your Local Guardian: The Queen is expected to visit the Great Yorkshire Show tomorrow

Born: April 21, 1926

Died: Still going

Job: The Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Head of the Commonwealth

Years in office: 63 years and counting

Elections won: Zero

Likes: Corgis and horses

The Good: Britain’s longest serving monarch, impressive popularity.

The Bad: Her Annus Horriblis in 1992 with her sons’ marriage breakdowns, Diana’s memoirs, a fire at Windsor Castle and being forced to pay income tax and capital gains tax for the first time.

The Ugly: She copped a lot of flak over Diana.

 

Margaret Thatcher

Your Local Guardian: RIGHT-TO-BUY: Margaret Thatcher

Born: October 13, 1925

Died: April 8, 2013

Job: Prime Minister

Years in office: 11 years (1979 to 1990)

Elections won: Three

Likes: Capitalism, Reagan

The Good: The Iron Lady. Arguably improved social mobility. Championed the free market economy.

When she died, David Cameron said: “Margaret Thatcher didn’t just lead our country; she saved our country. She was the patriot prime minister, and she fought for Britain’s interests every step of the way.”

The Bad: ‘Margaret Thatcher milk snatcher’, Geoffrey Howe’s resignation in 1990, the disastrous poll tax, the minors’ strikes, inner city riots.

The Ugly: Ding Dong the Witch is Dead went to number two in the charts when she died. Ousted by her own party while still PM.

Handbagged is at Richmond Theatre from November 23 to 28. Go to atgtickets.com/richmond