Paul Burrell: The Rock

This Labor Day weekend marks the fourth anniversary of the tragic death of Diana, Princess of Wales. I'll be thinking about Diana and I'll be thinking a great deal of Paul Burrell the man she referred to as her rock. Paul Burrell is a man who has labored tirelessly to keep the remaining secrets of her life secret. He is a man who has declined exorbitant amounts of money to betray her memory. He seems an ordinary man who is handling the extraordinary circumstances of his life with dignity and grace. Now he stands accused of stealing 342 trinkets from the woman whose memory he has dedicated himself to for the last 14 or 15 years. It is sad indeed.

Paul Burrell was born into a blue-collar family. His Dad was a truck driver and his brothers headed for the mines. Paul went to school for hotel management and at eighteen earned a position as a trainee footman in the royal household. He moved up the ranks quickly from there and became a compassionate ear for Princess Diana during the saddest days of her marriage. She chose him as a butler for Highgrove, the country estate she shared with her husband, Prince Charles. Paul Burrell watched out for her at his own expense. It is said that Prince Charles to this day has little use for him, as he believes it was Paul who passed along the details of his relationship with Mrs. Parker-Bowles to his wife, Diana. The BBC once reported that the "Princess of Wales wrote two words when asked to list the things she wanted to salvage from her broken marriage - they were Paul Burrell." He acted more as her personal assistant then her butler.

Then Diana died. Suddenly, tragically she was gone. The world mourned. People came out of the woodwork to sing her praises, to try to tarnish her memory or just to make a quick buck. Paul Burrell focused on serving her in death as he had in life. It was reported that celebrities such as Tom Cruise and Donald Trump wooed him. He said he would make no decision until his former employer's affairs were tidied up. He spent six months doing so. He was later quoted as saying, "It was a great comfort, I was still taking care of her, looking after her - working for her. It was my environment, my world - my final duty to take care of her possessions, to catalogue them, to protect them. I knew I had to do it. Who else could?"

In March of 1998 Jennie Bond interviewed Paul Burrell for the BBC news. She asked him about the cataloging of Diana's possessions. He said it had taken six months, but that he was ready now to move on. She asked him why he had just accepted a position as fundraiser for the Princess Diana Memorial Fund rather than taking a more lucrative position. He replied, '…because it's something which comes from my heart. It's something, which I believe passionately about carrying her word forward. Not following in her footsteps, carrying her beliefs forward. It's very important to me.'

If there was ever anyone who could have made a fortune off of Diana, it is Paul Burrell. Yet he never has. In recognition of his service (22 years) to the Royal Family and especially to the Princess of Wales, the Queen awarded him the Royal Victorian Medal. Now this same man is being accused of stealing 342 personal effects from the woman whom he so greatly admired and has yet to betray. It is reported that Prince Charles didn't want the case to come to trial and that if Mr. Burrell would give back all the items, no charges would be filed - a sort of plea bargain. It is also reported that Diana's sister, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, the woman whom The News of the World reported 'sacked' him from the memorial fund, is the person responsible for the charges. It is all very disturbing.

Since leaving the Princess Diana Memorial Fund, Paul Burrell has made his way in the world by lecturing on the subject of entertaining 'In the Royal Manner' the title of a book that he also authored. People claim that he is cashing in on Diana's name. I don't believe that. If he were he would be selling the secrets of her soul not her preferred seating arrangements at a home dinner party. He would be leaking information to journalists who would never use his name. He'd become another 'royal source' or 'palace watcher' whom many would instantly suspect by the content of the leak. Not only would it pay better, it would be a lot easier than doing the lecture circuit. His behavior has been head and shoulders above that.

What I find most disturbing is that Mr. Burrell has now fallen ill while on holiday with his family in Florida. A holiday he planned ten months ago and did not want to spoil for his family. He was followed by reporters and is reportedly suffering from a stress related illness. He reportedly collapsed and was taken to a local hospital by his family who refuse to comment. A source at the hospital said, "It could be exhaustion but the patient also had a painful body rash and was in some distress." It was also speculated that it could be some kind of a blood poisoning.

In my opinion it is stress. I think he has found himself between a rock and a hard place with the pending trial. His lawyer, Andrew Shaw, has said "He will fight this case, he will require the true witnesses to give direct evidence and will not accept guesswork or rumor as at present." This is taken to mean he will call members of the royal family along with love rat, James Hewitt, to testify on Mr. Burrell's behalf. If this is the case, then the memory of Diana, Princess of Wales that Mr. Burrell has worked so hard to preserve will be tarnished. The Mirror put it best, "Having never betrayed a single secret, his defense may now put him at odds with his vow of loyalty." It is reported that Princes William and Harry think of Paul Burrell as an Uncle and are upset by the proceedings. I'm sure Paul Burrell returns their affection and is devastated that they have to suffer further. Paul Burrell wants to clear his name for his families sake as well as his own I'm sure. What I'm not sure of is if he thinks it's worth the price that will be paid to do so.

What do you think about Paul Burrell? Do you believe him innocent? Guilty? Please write for the next Speakers Corner, which will be printed on Sunday, September 9, 2001, as Geraldine will be away this weekend. Also, I'd like to note that this column is the one-year anniversary of "The Muse of the Monarchy". Thanks to Geraldine for giving me this forum to share my opinions in and to you for making my labor of love such a rewarding one.

All the best,