Butler Recalls Princess Diana's "Horror" at Charles's Visit

King Charles wears a suit and talks to Princess Diana who looks coy wearing a cream dress, a pearl necklace, and her engagement ring — (Image credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

King Charles and Princess Diana had somewhat of a tumultuous marriage. Having tied the knot on July 29, 1981, the couple went on to welcome two children together—Prince William and Prince Harry—before announcing their separation on December 9, 1992. The couple's divorce was finalized on August 28, 1996, and according to one former royal butler, Charles and Diana attempted to be civil during that time.

In his book A Royal Duty, former butler Paul Burrell recalled a surprise visit Princess Diana received from The King following their split.

"The last person I expected was the heir to the throne," Burrell shared. "Charles had popped in, unannounced. 'Hello, Paul, may I come in?' he said. He had been due to catch a helicopter...but was early, so he had decided to visit his estranged wife."

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Noting his own shock at Charles's arrival, the former butler wrote, "If I was surprised, I couldn't wait to see the reaction of the boss [Princess Diana]."

After climbing the stairs inside Diana's residence, Charles called out to his ex, and "was met by the rather stunned princess on the first-floor landing and they greeted each other with a kiss on both cheeks."

Paul Burrell

'A Royal Duty'

Princess Diana reportedly thought her engagement ring was gaudy — "He was met by the rather stunned princess on the first-floor landing and they greeted each other with a kiss on both cheeks."

According to Burrell, Diana was every bit as surprised as he was.

"She looked over his shoulder at me and her eyes widened with mock horror," the former royal employee explained. "Then she couldn't resist breaking the ice with her usual humor."

Per the ex-butler, Diana reportedly remarked, "I suppose you've come to take the furniture away, then, Charles!"

Prince Charles and Princess Diana looking away from each other at a banquet — "If I was surprised, I couldn't wait to see the reaction of the boss [Princess Diana]."

Paul Burrell

'The Royal Insider'

Remembering the strange moment, Burrell wrote, "Husband and wife, in the throes of a rather awkward divorce, laughed together for the first time in an age. If only they could have done that more in public, I thought."

Surprisingly, even during their difficult split, there were occasional moments of levity between Charles and Diana, according to a former staff member.

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Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.