Harry and William met Diana’s butler ‘for answers’ after ‘betrayal’, says source

Prince Harry and William met with their late mum’s butler to understand parts of her life after he "betrayed" them, a royal source has now claimed.

The Prince of Wales, 40, and the Duke of Sussex, 38, had the secret meeting with Princess Diana's butler Paul Burrell back in 2017.

Mr Burrell, 64, had worked for Diana for 10 years until her death in 1997, previously having served as a footman for the late Queen.

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It was previously understood that the brothers had only met Mr Burrell following their mother’s funeral.

However, The Sun now reports the pair held a "very low key" meeting with Paul in 2017 before Harry and Meghan announced their engagement.

The source said they wanted to talk with “someone who had been close to their mother” and they believed that Paul could clarify parts of her life with them.

The source said: “They asked to keep it all under wraps and he respected that.

“Paul was happy to tell them everything he knew and shed some light on their memories.”

The meeting is perhaps surprising as the brothers previously accused Paul of a betrayal after he published his 2001 book A Royal Duty.

It was a theme that Harry picked up in his bestselling autobiography Spare, published earlier this year.

He said he received a package from Buckingham Palace, which was full of memos from the Palace communications team about "a delicate matter".

He wrote: “Mummy's former butler had penned a tell-all which actually told nothing.

“It was merely one man's self-justifying, self-centring version of events.

“My mother once called this butler a dear friend, trusted him implicitly. We did too. Now this.

“He was milking her disappearance for money. It made my blood boil.”

Harry added he wanted to fly home to confront Mr Burrell but that his dad King Charles and brother talked him around and encouraged a united condemnation.

Paul has also been outspoken in his criticism of Harry.

He said on Australian breakfast show Sunrise: “I first met him in his mummy's tummy.

“I don't recognise the young man I see today.

“That's not the boy I knew.

“What I see now is an angry, petulant, privileged prince who is constantly blaming other people and not taking accountability on his part.”

He added that Diana would be appalled.

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He said: “She would be angry at these personal, vindictive revelations which don't just undermine Harry, but his country, his family, the institution – which his mother was very proud of – and his late grandmother's legacy.”

The Daily Star has approached Buckingham Palace and Mr Burrell for comment.

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