Family releases personal note
A note written by Dame Esther Rantzen has been published by her family after they held a private funeral. In the short statement, the veteran broadcaster said she felt she had been "deprived of choice" over her own death.
The family made the note public following the private ceremony, releasing her words to be read more widely. They did not provide further detail in the material released with the note.
The disclosure is likely to draw attention to questions of autonomy and end-of-life decision-making. Rantzen's brief message, as released by her family, expressed a sense of having had choices taken from her in relation to how her life ended.
Dame Esther Rantzen was long known for her work in broadcasting and for founding campaigns and charities during her career. The publication of her note, alongside the news of a private funeral, will be of interest to those who followed her public life and the causes she championed.
Her family have so far limited the information they have shared publicly and have not commented further on the circumstances surrounding her death or the specific meaning of her words. The note stands as a personal reflection made public by those closest to her.