
Prince Harry felt he needed to tell his side of the story through his memoir Spare.
While there have been various reports of the book upsetting members of the Royal Family who were mentioned in it, Princess Diana's former butler Paul Burrell has also admitted to being hurt by some of the contents of Spare.
"There was something else which annoyed me intensely," Burrell tells Marie Claire on behalf of Slingo (opens in new tab).
"I was really upset, really upset [by] the fact that he referred to me as 'the butler,' 'mummy’s butler.' Well, mummy’s butler was called Paul, Harry, and you knew me, all your life you’ve known me as Paul.
"He had never known me as 'the butler' so why suddenly has there been a shift only recently, a shift to being called the butler? Suddenly I’m sort of being dismissed by this petulant prince as irrelevant because he says my tell-all book told nothing."
Burrell published the memoirs A Royal Duty in 2000 and The Way We Were: Remembering Diana in 2006 based on his time working for the Royal Family.
"I have to be very positive all the time about this and say, 'Harry you’re wrong, you are wrong on several levels. You are wrong because you have forgotten duty, respect, loyalty. Not only to your family but to our country and to the people of our country,'" Burrell claims.
"I don’t think the people of our country like that very much. I wouldn’t worry about the media if he came back here, I’d worry about the people on the street because they have a say also and I’ve always said that the monarchy and our Royal Family have a very privileged life and live in a very privileged way where anything is at their disposal. The price they pay for that is public service. Well for Harry, that’s sort of gone now, the public service has finished and he’s swapped royalty for celebrity."
When Harry and his wife Meghan Markle left their roles as senior royals, they also relinquished their charity patronages. That said, they have thrown their efforts into many worthy causes during their time in California—from vaccine equality to paid family leave.
Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Bustle and Shape. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.
-
Sarah Ferguson Hints That Her Home is Haunted by the Queen
There’s a big clue at Royal Lodge that the Queen’s ghost is “passing by.”
By Rachel Burchfield
-
The Future of the Monarchy Could See Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis Working as a “Collective”
Heir and spare dynamic, be gone.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
After the Success of ‘Spare,’ Prince Andrew Is Apparently Considering Writing His Own Memoir
It’s being colloquially dubbed “Spare 2.0.”
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Prince George and Prince Louis Are "Protective" of Mom Kate in Mother's Day Photos, Body Language Expert Says
They have such a sweet relationship.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Attend the Coronation? What We Know at This Stage
Talk about a cliffhanger.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Prince William Once Joked He Might Have Worn "A Comedy Beard and a Hat" to Attend a Concert Incognito
OMG, imagine.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Royal Photographer Says Prince George Is "Like William," Prince Louis Is "Like Harry"
Tell me you don't see it.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Princess Eugenie Is Following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Example With Her Official Announcements, Historian Says
They're in a similar-ish position.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
The Status of Prince Harry and Meghan's Coronation Invitation Is a Real "Mess," Royal Commentator Says
Yep, none of this is easy.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Meghan Markle Made $80K Per Year With The Tig, But Could Make Much More With a Relaunch: Branding Expert
It could be a smart business move for the duchess.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Princess Kate "Asserted Her Authority" Over Prince William During St. Patrick's Day Appearance, Body Language Expert Says
He laid low to let her shine.
By Iris Goldsztajn