Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher smiles as the audience gives her a standing ovation before her commencement address at William and Mary Hall in Williamsburg, Va., Sunday, May 11, 1997. Thatcher died Monday at 87, following a stroke. (AP)

Margaret Thatcher, the first and only female prime minister of the United Kingdom, has died, according to the BBC.

Thatcher served as prime minister from 1979 until 1990, and as a member of Parliament from her first election in 1959 until 1992. She was known as an uncompromising leader who implemented many Conservative policies in the UK. Thatcher was nicknamed the "Iron Lady".

Thatcher visited Alabama at least twice in her lifetime. She came to Point Clear, Alabama, for a conference of telecommunications executives in October of 2001 -- just weeks after 9/11. She spoke about the threat of terrorism:

"Evil is always with us and always will be, and our duty as governments is to see that it does not prevail," she said.

She also visited Samford University in 1992, as part of the university's sesquicentennial celebration.

According to the BBC, Thatcher's funeral will be held at St Paul's Cathedral in London.