Assange and Westwood have been friends for over a decade, but Assange is presently in prison seeking extradition to the United States and will therefore require formal authorization to attend.
According to his wife, Julian Assange will request release from prison to attend the burial of his friend Dame Vivienne Westwood.
Dame Vivienne, renowned as the Godmother of Punk, passed away on Thursday, surrounded by her family in south London at the age of 81, causing Mr. Assange to hunt for a means to say farewell, despite being incarcerated in London’s Belmarsh prison while fighting extradition to the United States.
His wife Stella Assange informed Australia’s Nine Media that Julian will submit a request to attend the funeral.
Mr. Assange and Dame Vivienne had been friends for more than a decade, and the designer had been an outspoken advocate for him during his time in the Ecuadorian embassy and incarceration.
To protest his impending extradition, she dressed as a canary and dangled herself in a large birdcage outside The Old Bailey in July 2020.
The death of the designer inspired the WikiLeaks founder to release his first remark since his 2019 imprisonment.
It was issued by Mrs. Assange and stated: “Vivienne was a Dame and an anti-establishment pillar. He is courageous, imaginative, thoughtful, and a fantastic friend. The finest of Britishness She will be greatly missed by me and countless others.”
In March, Mrs. Assange married the 51-year-old in a tiny ceremony at the prison, wearing a dress made by Dame Vivienne and her husband Andreas Kronthaler.
Mrs. Assange stated upon her husband’s passing: “Vivienne was an innate rebel. We thoroughly enjoyed her company.
Her gift to us elevated our wedding, so there was a lot of attention, and she had an excellent knack for images and communication.
She went on: “Our dear friend Vivienne Westwood has departed from us. She fought for #FreeAssange and the future of humanity as a ferocious activist and genuine altruist.
“Vivienne, you remain an inspiration. Your grandeur shall endure.”
Strange inventions
Her unique designs are often credited with popularising punk and new-wave fashion. Dame Vivienne, who was born in Cheshire in 1941, is widely credited with popularising punk and new-wave fashion.
Her creations were frequently worn by celebrities, such as Dita Von Teese, who wore a purple Vivienne Westwood wedding gown to marry Marilyn Manson, and Princess Eugenie, who wore three Vivienne Westwood designs for various aspects of the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
The specifics of her funeral are currently unknown.
