Why has my nose begun to drip during meals? I'm 71 and this development is recent. I knew an older man who complained about the onset of this 'symptom' some time before he died. I am not happy.

A nasal drip is often caused by blood pressure medicines of the beta-blocker or ACE categories.
So if you are taking any such medicine, that would be the foremost cause to consider.

Another reason could be that with advancing age, the mucosa of the nose loses some of its elasticity and lets mucus drip down easily when the head bends forward, as in eating.
The changes taking place with age in the oro-pharyngeal and nasal cavities also allow mucus to drip while chewing and eating.

I know this is can be very uncomfortable for you, but it might help to know that it is a phenomenon of ageing, in most cases.