Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is scheduled to receive a royal ceremonial funeral despite losing all his royal titles and becoming a private citizen. Senior Whitehall sources told The Mail on Sunday that the former Duke of York remains on a secret government list of royals set for high-profile funerals. The arrangements remain active following revelations about his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The controversial arrangement forms part of government bridge plans that outline funeral arrangements for members of the Royal Family far in advance and in meticulous detail. Queen Elizabeth's funeral in 2022 followed a blueprint named Operation London Bridge, while Prince Philip's was designated Operation Forth Bridge after the bridge near Edinburgh.
Royal experts believe a funeral service for Mountbatten-Windsor would take place at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, although specific details remain unknown. The 14th-century chapel hosted the funerals of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, as well as baptisms and royal weddings including that of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2018.
Planners anticipate burying Mountbatten-Windsor at the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore, a 33-acre private cemetery located in Home Park at Windsor. Former monarch King Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne in disgrace in 1936 to marry American socialite Wallis Simpson, is also buried there alongside Simpson.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was pictured with Virginia Giuffre and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2001. Another image shows him with Jeffrey Epstein in 2011, before the former prince became a private citizen following revelations of his friendship with the paedophile financier.
The Cabinet Office oversees the funeral plan for 66-year-old Mountbatten-Windsor and keeps the arrangements under constant review. Officials do not expect to require the plan soon because he appears to be in good health.
Opposition from victim lawyers and politicians
US lawyer Gloria Allred, who has represented 27 of Epstein's victims, criticized the funeral plans on Saturday. "Andrew has brought disgrace upon the Royal Family and the UK as a result of his involvement with Jeffrey Epstein," Allred said.
"Under these circumstances, the question arises as to why this man should be afforded the honour of a royal funeral," Allred added. "What kind of message would such a ceremony send to Epstein's victims? Additionally, why should UK taxpayers bear the burden of paying his expenses either in life or after his death?"
Alicia Kearns, Tory shadow Home Office minister, said: "There are no circumstances under which Andrew should be afforded a royal funeral. He should live out his days far from public life, and the police and CPS should ensure their investigations into him are robust and don't drag on. All such plans should be revoked immediately."
Norman Baker, a former government minister and expert in royal finances, said: "This must be an oversight. Mr Mountbatten-Windsor is a commoner and should in no way be getting any sort of royal funeral."
The bridge plan for Mountbatten-Windsor likely underwent revisions in the past year to reflect that he is no longer a working royal. In a humiliating blow, King Charles stripped his brother of his HRH style and prince title in November last year.
US lawyer Spencer Kuvin, who represented nine of Epstein's victims, said: "Taxpayers should not ever be funding a funeral for a private individual. No public money should be used to benefit him during death. It's an embarrassment to the Crown."
Tory MP Joe Robertson said: "Public funds should not bankroll Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's funeral. He has lost all his royal titles and publicly funded roles for a reason. He is an ordinary citizen - one who still has a lot of questions to answer - and his funeral should be paid for privately just like everyone else."
Ceremonial arrangements and historical comparisons
Royal experts believe Mountbatten-Windsor's service would resemble the funeral of Princess Margaret, who died in 2002 aged 71 after a stroke and cardiac complications. A 400-strong congregation, including 30 royals, attended a private service in St George's Chapel while flags flew at half-mast at all royal residences throughout a six-day period of mourning.
Ahead of her funeral, Princess Margaret's coffin was laid in Kensington Palace, where her family paid their respects while it was draped in her standard and a spray of white lilies and roses. The coffin was taken to the Queen's Chapel at St James's Palace and then driven to Windsor, where police erected barriers for 3,000 people to watch the cortege enter the castle gates.
In a break from royal tradition that is unlikely to feature in Mountbatten-Windsor's plans, Princess Margaret was later cremated at Slough Crematorium. While not an official state or public occasion, her funeral was a major royal event accompanied by a costly policing and security operation.
Military service and pallbearer selection
One delicate matter facing organizers is who will act as pallbearers during the ceremony. Servicemen from regiments associated with members of the Royal Family normally have the honour of carrying their coffin, such as the eight sergeants from the Royal Highland Fusiliers who carried Princess Margaret's coffin when she was their colonel-in-chief.
Mountbatten-Windsor served in the Royal Navy, including during the Falklands War as a Sea King helicopter co-pilot, and was the honorary colonel of the Grenadier Guards, the Royal Irish Regiment, and the Royal Regiment of Scotland before losing his military titles amid the Epstein scandal.
Retired Rear Admiral Chris Parry, who captained the Royal Navy's HMS Fearless, said he believed the Navy would ask for volunteers to act as pallbearers. "The guy doesn't relinquish being a naval officer," Parry said. "He wasn't thrown out. He had a Falklands medal and you can't take that away from him and he deserves the credit for that. If somebody said to me 'Would you do it?', I'd do it."
The Cabinet Office and Buckingham Palace declined to comment. Mountbatten-Windsor did not respond to a request to comment.
