Princess Diana’s former butler believes the late royal would have stepped in to prevent Prince Harry’s estrangement from Prince William – and possibly his marriage to Meghan Markle.
Paul Burrell, who served Diana for years and says he was her “rock,” said Harry “would’ve never married” Meghan if Diana were alive.
Burrell, now 67, lived with Harry and William during their childhood and argued that Diana’s priority was keeping her sons united.
“Diana’s wish was for Harry to support William throughout his journey to become monarch,” Burrell said, per The Mirror. “But William’s on his own now and he’s resigned to that. To him, his brother can’t be trusted.”
Butler Says Harry Has Changed
Burrell said Diana would be “disappointed” in Harry’s behavior since leaving royal life. He recalled the young prince after Diana died in 1997, saying, “Harry was awfully hurt when his mother died. I know, I was there. He ran into my arms when he returned from the funeral.”
But he argued something in Harry’s life “has gone wrong.” Burrell contrasted him with William, saying, “Yet William hasn’t gone wrong. And he lost his mother too.”
While Burrell supported Harry’s decision to seek freedom from royal duties, he criticized the way it unfolded.
“I applaud Harry for wanting his freedom. I can see how the royal family is confining,” he said. “But it’s the manner in which you do it.”
Burrell accused Harry of developing “petulance and entitlement,” describing the prince as almost “unrecognizable” from the warm, joking boy he once knew.
Meghan’s Influence and the Royal Rift
Burrell tied some of Harry’s transformation to his relationship with Meghan Markle. He said Diana’s presence would have prevented their meeting entirely, predicting Harry would have “married an English aristocratic girl, settled down, conformed and done his job.”
Even if Meghan and Harry had wed, Burrell believes Diana would have been a force in their lives. “I suppose I could also see her moving next door to them in California and offering Meghan advice,” he said. “But whether Meghan would take it is another thing.”
Harry and Meghan stepped back from royal duties in 2020, moving to California and publicly criticizing the monarchy through interviews, their Netflix series “Harry & Meghan,” and Harry’s memoir “Spare.”
Burrell urged Harry to reconcile with his family. “Harry needs to get down on his knee and give his allegiance both to his brother and The King,” he said, adding he doubts William will forgive him.
“Do you think William can ever forgive him? No, I don’t. I don’t think there is any love lost between Harry and William.”
Burrell’s new book, “The Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King and Princess Diana,” was released September 11.
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Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Princess Diana, Prince William