The assumed characteristics of the subject – a conservative reactionary, a "buffer's buffer" surveying the world through the bottom of a glass and not liking it one inch – gave ample opportunity for a rich and identifiable style; the image of Denis portrayed in the letters – a gin-soaked half-witted layabout, whose sole activity was to try to escape the wrath of "the Boss" – was a popular one, and Denis Thatcher remained in the public imagination as a less gaffe-prone version of the Duke of Edinburgh long after both the Thatcher government and the series itself had ended. The portrayal was not entirely negative; Denis Thatcher was portrayed as having a sharp and witty tongue, and a keen eye for events around him.
The image of Denis Thatcher, based on his assumed characteristics – a conservative reactionary who viewed the world through a pessimistic lens – provided ample material for a distinctive style. The portrayal of Denis in letters depicted him as a gin-soaked, hapless individual trying to avoid the wrath of "the Boss," which resonated with the public and cemented his image as a less prone-to-gaffes version of the Duke of Edinburgh after both the Thatcher government and the series ended.  Denis was also portrayed as having a sharp wit and keen observation skills.