Clinton Envy, Mandela and a Horse: Glimpses From the U.K. Archives

Every year, the British public gains access to declassified cables and sensitive memos from the top tiers of the government: glimpses of diplomatic outposts around the world, ministers’ thoughts scribbled in margins, and disputes between famous leaders, released by the country’s National Archives.

And sometimes, the public gets to see notes about a horse.

The National Archives on Friday released a new batch of documents, mostly from 1994, that tell of internet anxiety at the prime minister’s office, Margaret Thatcher’s thoughts of Nelson Mandela and the journey of a stallion from Turkmenistan to London.