BARONESS Thatcher would have been "honoured and humbled" by the presence of the Queen at her funeral, her son has said. Sir Mark Thatcher said his mother had been blessed with "a long life, and a very full one," but her death was "without doubt a very sad moment." "We have quite simply been overwhelmed by messages of support, condolence, of every type, from far and wide, and I know that my mother would be pleased they have come from people of all walks of life," he said. Sir Mark's tribute came as Downing Street revealed details of the former prime minister's ceremonial funeral - which is to involve more than 700 Armed Forces personnel, and feature the units involved in the Falklands conflict. Speaking outside his mother's home in Belgravia, central London, Sir Mark, who is thought to have flown back to the UK on Tuesday night, said the family are proud and grateful that the Queen is to attend his mother's funeral. "I know my mother would be greatly honoured as well as humbled by her presence," he said. By any measure, my mother was blessed with a long life, and a very full one. However the inevitability or the inevitable conclusion may appear of the recent illness that she suffered, it is no easier for us to bear in what is without doubt a very sad moment. We have quite simply been overwhelmed by messages of support, condolence of every type from far and wide and I know that my mother would be pleased they have come from people of all walks of life. These messages often convey personal stories and vignettes of part of the journey of my mother's life and we are all enormously grateful for the warmth that these messages convey and they will be a source of encouragement and strength as we face the inevitable days ahead and for that I am most grateful. Downing Street announced on Wednesday that more than 700 service personnel will take part in next week's funeral, and Lady Thatcher's coffin will be carried into St Paul's Cathedral by bearers from units particularly associated with the Falklands War. In a reflection of Lady Thatcher's strong association with the armed forces, members of the Honourable Artillery Company will fire procession minute guns from Tower Wharf at the Tower of London. Personnel from all three services will line the funeral route, while three military bands play - their drums draped in black as a mark of respect. The cost to the public purse will be published after next Wednesday's service, the Prime Minister's official spokesman confirmed. No 10 strongly defended the decision to recall MPs to Westminster for tributes to the former prime minister, despite criticism from some in the Labour Party. "Given her stature and importance, the Prime Minister thought that the right thing to do was to ask the Speaker to recall Parliament," David Cameron's official spokesman said. Attendance is a matter for individual Members of Parliament. In terms of the Prime Minister, and I am sure a good many other MPs, it is an important opportunity to pay tribute to Lady Thatcher. Former Labour minister John Healey has accused Mr Cameron of trying to exploit the funeral for political purposes and said that he would be among those staying away. He's wrong to recall Parliament, and wrong to hijack it in this way. I will play no part and I will stay away, with other things to do at home in the constituency," he said. High-profile names started to confirm their attendance at next week's ceremony, with former prime minister Tony Blair and his wife, Cherie, confirming they will be among the mourners at St Paul's, as well as Mr Blair's successor, Gordon Brown, and his wife, Sarah. No 10 said it expected to disclose details of the foreign dignitaries attending in the coming days. Regular meetings are being held to co-ordinate the funeral arrangements, dubbed Operation True Blue. Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude chaired a further meeting on Wednesday, attended by representatives of Lady Thatcher, with officials from No 10, Buckingham Palace, St Paul's Cathedral, the Ministry of Defence, the Foreign Office and the Metropolitan Police. Further books of condolences are to be opened at the Guildhall and St Margaret's Church, Westminster, alongside those in the Finchley and Golders Green Conservative Association in her old constituency and at the museum in her home town of Grantham. Police are already monitoring potential sources of intelligence including social media in the run-up to the funeral. If there is information that suggests a criminal offence is imminent then officers can arrest potential culprits to prevent the crime happening, as they did before the royal wedding. Scotland Yard, City of London Police and British Transport Police are working together on the plans. Officers want to speak to protesters who are planning demonstrations on the day of the funeral or before. A Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) spokesman said: "We are mindful that this occasion has the potential to attract protest. The MPS wishes to speak to anyone who may choose to demonstrate on Wednesday, or in the coming days, so their right to protest can be upheld whilst respecting the rights of Baroness Thatcher's family and those who wish to pay their respects. The total number of officers who could be involved has not yet been finalised. A spokeswoman for the Prime Minister denied that the Government had come up with the "True Blue" codename for the funeral, insisting Whitehall had been using it since Tony Blair was in power. The so-called "True Blue Committee" had been meeting since at least 2006, she said. The spokeswoman said formal invitations to the event were likely to be issued on Thursday, although there "may have been some phone calls made from the Foreign office or Cabinet Office." No details of Mr Cameron's involvement or guest numbers are being released yet.