When King Charles hosts Donald Trump for the state banquet at Windsor Castle next week, the dignitaries should know better than to mention Jeffrey Epstein. Inevitably, however, Epstein’s ghost will hang over proceedings, the paedo-Banquo at the feast.

In the coming days, the details of Mandelson’s bond with Epstein may end up overshadowing all talk of the special relationship

The royal family will entertain the President, though the Duke of York will (surely?) stay away. He no longer works for the crown and everyone knows why. Trump, meanwhile, will still be batting away suggestions that in 2003 he contributed a puerile drawing to Epstein’s 50th ‘birthday book’ – a strange compilation of messages for the sex criminal, lovingly assembled by Ghislaine Maxwell.

Then there’s Lord Mandelson,

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