One Royal Butler Recalls Being "Frightened" of Getting Caught "Delivering" a Big Mac to Princess Diana on a Very Special Day
"He came back to fetch me, after checking the coast was clear."
Sometimes, royals really are just like us. Case in point: following her engagement announcement photoshoot with King Charles, Princess Diana reportedly ate fast food from McDonald's with two royal staff members.
In his book A Royal Duty, Diana's former butler, Paul Burrell, recalled retrieving a Big Mac for the princess after watching her photoshoot with King Charles take place.
According to Burrell, buying a Big Mac for Princess Diana was the idea of fellow staff member Mark Simpson, who told him, "We could have a little picnic and brighten up her day. Come on, let's go to McDonald's."
"I was too frightened to join Mark on his mission and anxious about how Lady Diana would respond," Burrell wrote. However, "having delivered his Big Macs, [Simpson] came back to fetch me, after checking the coast was clear." Despite being concerned a senior royal might find out, Burrell decided to join Simpson and Diana.
"We could have a little picnic and brighten up her day," one staff member suggested.
"[W]e arrived at a slightly ajar door, which opened into the little kitchen area annexed to the bedroom of Lady Diana," Burrell shared. "And there she was, already attacking her Big Mac. She giggled a lot and was so friendly and down-to-earth. She kept repeating how thoughtful Mark had been and how grateful she was to have such an unexpected interlude."
Princess Diana reportedly ate fast food from McDonald's with two royal staff members.
Even though Princess Diana's engagement to King Charles had just been announced to the world, she was reportedly excited about eating fast food with two palace staff members to unwind. Basically, even in the small moments, Diana was apparently kind, approachable, and had a keen sense of fun.
