A Royal Duty (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Patrick Demarchelier (Photographer) "THE LATE-NIGHT double-decker bus crawled sluggishly up the hilly back roads of the mining communities of Derbyshire, England..." (more)
Key Phrases: courtroom number one, golden dhow, relationship with the princess, Prince Charles, Princess of Wales, Buckingham Palace (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Diana, the Princess of Wales, was one of the most publicly covered figures in the modern world. Known as "the people's princess," Diana captivated all who knew her. Much has already been written about her life, both professionally and personally, but until now no one has told her story in the way that only one man can-Paul Burrell-whom she described as both "her rock" and "the only man I can trust."

Now comes the long awaited book, A ROYAL DUTY by Paul Burrell, the man in whom she confided on matters big and small. Paul, one of the Queen's personal footmen, met Diana during one of her first visits to Balmoral Castle. And while it may have been fate that brought them together, they shared a strong bond that endured to the end of her life. Burrell became Diana's confidant and his unique perspective casts new light on the Princess of Wales and the events that would shape her life and the lives of those around her.

At the time of her death there was much speculation about Diana's future plans including her thoughts about remarrying and the possibility of relocating to America. Paul, who was one of the last people to speak with her, hopes to set the record straight for the Princess he so admired and cherished. Drawing on private conversations, personal recollections, diaries and letters, Paul has written an extraordinary account of a unique time in the history of the Royal Family.

When asked why he wrote the book, this is what Paul had to say. "I have made this book as true to her spirit as possible-as inspiring, as loving, as fun. Over the last six years I've had time to reflect on the extraordinary events that I have witnessed. During that time, I have watched and listened patiently as many individuals have claimed to know the truth about the Princess of Wales. I have watched and listened knowing that what was claimed to be the truth is actually far from it. I decided reluctantly to tell what I know to be the truth because I firmly believe that someone has to stand in the Princess' corner and fight for her now that she cannot do so. I welcome the official inquest into her death and it is my hope that it will uncover what really happened that night in Paris. I never thought that I would need to write this book but then I never thought that I would need to redress the balance. I never thought that I would need to defend the Princess against untruths from many different quarters. I was devoted to the Royal Family for many years-first to the Queen, then to the Prince of Wales and finally to the Princess and I remain a loyal subject. But I believe that it is important that the truth is known NOW rather than waiting for the details to emerge in official papers when they are released in 25 years."

About the Author

Paul Burrell served the Royal family for twenty-one years - as personal footman to the Queen, butler to the Prince and Princess of Wales, and after their separation, butler to Diana. After her tragic death, as fundraising manager of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, he spearheaded the drive which raised GBP100million in her memory. He is married to Maria, and they live in Cheshire with their two sons. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 405 pages
• Publisher: Putnam; 1st edition (October 25, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399151729
• ISBN-13: 978-0399151729
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (156 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #523,877 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Touching--and a vindication, November 15, 2003

By	HeyJudy "heyjudy" (East Hampton, NY USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Immediately after the tragic death of the much-loved Princess of Wales, there came a plethora of books claiming to be offering the real story of the woman behind the glamourous facade. For the most part, those books seemed to be mean-spirited attempts to bash the Princess' memory while at the same time lining their authors' pockets.

Virtually all of these authors appeared to hew to the theory that, since the law does not recognize slander as a legal action when the topic at hand is a deceased party, they then could engage in character assassination, so long as the same re-hashed old tales sold yet more books.

In contrast, A ROYAL DUTY is the rare book which attempts to defend and explain the way in which the Princess of Wales lived her life. Thus, simply for going against the tide, it is valuable.

Perhaps author Paul Burrell is slightly overwrought in his devotion to the late Princess. He's entitled to be. He dedicated his career to her. Reading between the lines, he has not yet gotten over his first glimpse of her corpse, presumably after its autopsy, a sight for which he was emotionally unprepared, and a sight from which her ex-husband and her family must have been shielded.

Was Burrell in love with Diana? Probably, a little bit, in a way that defines the concept of perfect and platonic love. As such, he is her protector. He says that he wrote this book to defend Diana, to explain her side of the story to her sons, and to justify his complete lack of guilt in the witch hunt which Scotland Yard and the royal courtiers mounted against him. On all counts, he makes a compelling case and, reading this book, I came to believe him.

Burrell is affronted by the way in which Prince Charles treated his young bride and Burrell makes it his business to make certain that the world (and, therefore, the couple's sons) know the truth. He also wants to be sure that there is no question but that Diana had not wanted the divorce from Charles, that she had loved Charles when she married him, and that she loved him until the day she died.

Burrell explains the harshness with which Diana consistently was treated by her in-laws' advisors and counselors. He speaks highly of the Queen, his original boss, and also of the Queen's husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. He credits both of them with trying to save the Wales' marriage. He writes that Diana was grateful to each of them for the rest of her short life, remaining in frequent communication with the couple. Burrell is less tolerant, reasonably so, with the indecisive and arrogant Prince of Wales.

Burrell may be even more offended by the Earl Spencer, brother of the late Princess, and by other members of the Spencer family, than he is by the Windsors. In fairness, the Spencers treated both Diana and Burrell far more shabbily than the Royals did.

He cannot understand how the Earl could have offered the Princess use of a house on the family estate, to her obvious elation, and then withdrawn the offer. He cannot understand how, after the Princess made her wishes clear that her wedding dress be placed in a London museum, it has ended up on the Earl's property, in the Earl's private museum, to which he charges admission.

The Spencer family, in concert with Scotland Yard, contrived to charge Burrell with stealing hundreds of the Princess' personal effects, a case that did not hold up in court. Certain truths speak for themselves... and the fact that it was the Queen herself who acknowledged Burrell's right to hold these items in safekeeping was what kept this case from being brought to a jury. She also corroborated some of his evidence, which not only was disputed by the prosecution but also was refuted and leaked to the press, those leaks presumably coming from the prosecution as well.

The book is beautifully written, probably with the assistance of reporter Steve Dennis, thanked in the acknowledgments. And Paul Burrell's wife, Maria, must be a saint to have been only the second lady is his life for all of those years.

Diana was not perfect, but she was a fascinating woman, kind and funny and elegant. Paul Burrell, quite literally, was Diana's loyal servant. By the end of her life, he obviously knew more about the way in which she lived than did her own mother or sisters.

A ROYAL DUTY will prove to be the definitive contemporaneous record of Diana's years as the Princess of Wales.

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I could hardly put it down!, November 3, 2003

By A Customer

This may well be the definitive biography of Diana, Princess of Wales. Paul Burrell has reason to resent the Royal family for putting him through the trial, but instead he shows us their human side. I was enthralled when I read Di's letter after the divorce in which she said she wanted to hug her mother-in-law and when I read Prince Philip's letter signed "Pa". I am sorry that the young princes have spoken out against this book; it tells the truth and does not reflect negatively on any of the Royals.

46 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A cut above the typical "royal books", November 5, 2003

By	Jessica Pastina (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This book is so well done. It actually has something to say. It actually has heart and soul. It doesn't pander tothe royals, but it also doesn't drag them through the mud. It is balanced and seems to have come from a place of personal ethics in terms of how it was written and what topics it covers. Mr. Burrell's absolute passion for the queen and the monarcy, not to mention Diana, is obvious, as is his respect for the royals. Layered into the story is information about how his own family life with his wife and sons fit into and was affected by his almost 24/7 work in various palaces. This is an interesting, intriguing, inside look at the life of an obviously loyal and loving member of the royals' staff. Unlike some frankly bitchy books about the royals, my hands did NOT feel dirty when I put this book down. Far from it. I felt uplifted.