Princess Diana’s butler Paul Burrell says Prince Harry has ‘lost the plot’

Paul Burrell, former footman to Queen Elizabeth II and ex-butler to Princess Diana, has claimed that he thinks Prince Harry has “lost the plot” with the release of his memoir Spare earlier this month.

Burrell became a close confidante of Harry’s mother Diana, who once described him as her “rock”.

Since Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris in August 1997, Burrell has authored two books about his time working for her and appeared on reality TV shows such as I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!

The ex-butler, however, came under fire in 2008, during an inquest into Diana’s death.

During the hearing, it emerged he secretly copied letters between her and other members of the royal family. He has also been criticised for disclosing private aspects of Diana’s personal life, which he was told in confidence, in his books.

It is believed that Burrell’s relationship with any members of the royal household has since become fraught.

Speaking on Lorraine this morning (30 January), Burrell opened up about how he was “bewildered” after Prince Harry released his memoir.

“[Harry’s] known me all his life as ‘Paul’. He knew how much I loved his mother and protected her memory, he knows all of that.”

He continued: “Why did he call me ‘Mummy’s Butler?’ Why couldn’t he have asked, come to me personally and said he wasn’t happy with the situation?”

Burrell admitted that his mental health has “taken a bashing” since the memoir was released, and asked whether the Duke of Sussex considers “the mental health of anybody that he writes about”.

“I’ve always defended [Harry] down to the last minute and now I’m thinking, ‘Harry, you’ve lost the plot,’” he said.

“What’s happened? There’s been a shift in that young man, he’s changed and I’m saddened by it.”

The Independent has contacted the Duke of Sussex’s representative for comment

The former butler also opened up about his despair over the death of Queen Elizabeth II last year, and the fallout from Prince Harry’s memoir Spare.

“From the age of 18 she [Queen Elizabeth II] was my surrogate mother,” he said. “She taught me about life on a daily basis. She encouraged me to get married, to have children.”

He said that the late monarch “took care” of him and that the pair shared an emotional “bond”.

Lorraine airs on weekdays at 9am on ITV1 & ITVX.