God, the avenging Furies had nothing on the Jeffrey Epstein industry when it comes to the pursuit of its quarry. The latest instalment in the ongoing excoriation of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is the revelation in the Mail on Sunday that the former Prince may, when he dies, receive a royal funeral. That is to say, it has learned that the King’s brother “remains on a secret government list of royals who will receive high-profile funerals, even though he became a private citizen following revelations of his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein”. Alas, there are no further details. The paper however surmises that it may involve a funeral service at St George’s chapel, Windsor, and burial at Frogmore cemetery along with other members of his family.
What do we actually want? A shameful death for the King’s brother followed by an anonymous cremation?
This arrangement, if true, seems altogether uncontroversial. In death, even sinners are entitled to the dignity of a Christian funeral, and if the former Duke of York is given a funeral service at St George’s Chapel like his father, it seems pretty well what the place is for.
Yet inevitably, the lawyer for the Epstein victims, Gloria Allred, who has represented 27 of Epstein’s victims, pops up to say: ‘Andrew has brought disgrace upon the Royal Family and the UK as a result of his involvement with Jeffrey Epstein. Under these circumstances, the question arises as to why this man should be afforded the honour of a royal funeral. What kind of message would such a ceremony send to Epstein’s victims?”
