why is it that safari no longer performs in privacy mode

Some resets you can try to see if they help.

Try double clicking the Home button and swipe Safari upwards. Go to Settings/Safari and clear History and Website Data. Open Safari and test.

Safari - Clear the history and cookies on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

Safari website data on your iPhone or iPad - How to clear

Try a forced restart.

Reset Device

If this is on your device as your profile shows, see if this helps.

Private Browsing - Turn on or off on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch