The Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King and Princess Diana - The Instant Sunday Times Bestselling Royal Autobiography

by Paul Burrell

THE BRAND NEW REVELATORY ROYAL MEMOIR FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR PAUL BURRELL.

'A moving and at times jaw-dropping account - not just of his two decades when he had a ringside seat at the heart of the Royal Family, but also of the years since,' Richard Kay, DAILY MAIL

'For twenty-one years I was in a privileged position and shared the lives of the Queen and Princess Diana. Now that neither of these two wonderful women are here, that duty continues for me in the need to protect their legacy.'

For over two decades, Paul Burrell was a silent witness to the making of history - first as footman to Queen Elizabeth II, then as butler to King Charles III (then Prince of Wales), and, most famously, as a confidante of the late Princess Diana. Now, with a unique perspective shaped by time and change, he's ready to share his own story alongside theirs.

His bestselling memoir, A Royal Duty, about his friendship with Diana, sent shockwaves around the world, selling over two million copies. But it is only, in the wake of the Queen's passing and the commencement of a new royal era, Burrell feels he can finally tell his story in full.

In this deeply personal and intimate memoir, Burrell shares many untold stories of his life at home and abroad with the Royals. With warmth, candour, and rare insight, he recounts unexpected moments of intimacy with the Queen, who gently guided a fresh-faced, 18-year-old Burrell through palace life.

He speaks candidly about the tensions that simmered during those years - including the breakdown of Charles and Diana's marriage and his own complex relationship with Princes William and Harry.

He also reveals his heartache at parting with three of the most significant women in his life - the Queen, Diana and his wife Maria - all while navigating his own personal journey to happiness as well as a battle with prostate cancer.

Heartfelt, sincere and rich in detail, this is the memoir of a man who has lived and learned in the most extraordinary of ways.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Royalty, Memoir, Biography

351 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 11, 2025

About the author

Over the course of 21 years, Paul Burrell rose from member of the Royal household staff to personal attendant to the Queen of England and then butler to the Prince and Princess of Wales. Ultimately, he became the trusted personal assistant and confidante to the late Diana, Princess of Wales. In 2003, he published his autobiography, A Royal Duty, which included his personal account of his Royal service and his close friendship with the late princess, who was arguably one of the world’s most popular and beloved public figures. This book was a London and New York Times number 1 best seller and sold in excess of 3 million copies worldwide. His next book, The Way We Were – Remembering Diana, was also a best seller throughout the world.

In 21 years of service to the British Royal family, Paul Burrell worked closely in and around some of the most beautiful homes and palaces in England. In actuality, his travels included far more than Great Britain and Europe, as his years of service gave him first‐hand experience of the most interesting houses in virtually every corner of the world. His exposure to fine homes, priceless art collections and furnishings has provided Burrell with all manner of expertise and he has become a taste arbiter and expert in food, wines, furnishings, flower arranging, etiquette and entertaining, especially in the English style.

Today, Paul Burrell resides in Farndon, Cheshire where he runs his flower shop and in his leisure time, paints watercolours. As a unique witness to Royal history, he is regularly asked to participate in TV and film documentaries. Having known personally almost every member of the current British Royal family, his credible insight is much sought after. As a TV correspondent, Burrell has provided commentary for the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen and for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Reviews

[*TUDOR^QUEEN* · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

When I first saw this I jumped at the chance to read it having read the author's previous two books about working both for Queen Elizabeth II and then Princess Diana. It's been about fifteen years since his last book about Princess Diana, but I fondly remember just how well written and enjoyable his previous efforts were. I was a little curious as to what else he would have to say about the subject, but was impressed with his new revelations from the past, as well as his thoughts on the current royals. With the death of his beloved Queen Elizabeth II in September of 2022, he clearly felt he could reveal more private conversations and experiences from the Windsor inner royal circle. Also, since he wrote that last book about Princess Diana in 2010 he came out about being gay and a new marriage, while he still very much loves his ex-wife and the two sons from his first marriage. He also is a prostate cancer survivor and discusses that journey. Paul has a great deal to say about Prince Harry and his marriage to Meghan Markle as well as his thoughts on Camilla being Queen (Consort). Paul has "the goods" to talk at length about all these things being about as close as you can get to the Royal Family. Highly recommended.

Thank you to the publisher Hachette Book Group / Hachette Mobius for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published January 13, 2026.

3 stars

I didn’t recall who, exactly, Paul Burrell was, just that he was somehow evolved with Princess Diana (and she’s on the cover of this book, but I swear I remembered!) Turns out he was prosecuted for stealing items from her estate (he was her butler) but was fully exonerated thanks to intervention by the Queen herself, which makes me feel like he was probably not guilty (his trial had already begun, so it was not for privacy reasons.) He had worked for QEII for ten years before going to work for Diana and was (and is) fiercely loyal to both women.

This is a patchwork of a book, perhaps he needs money? I would assume most of the information contained within was also in his first book which was likely a best seller (I didn’t read it,) though here he adds his thoughts on QE’s death, King Charles’s career thus far, Harry and Meghan, etc. Burrell was the very definition of an insider but that was a long time ago. However, I enjoy reading about the royals (and, oddly, loving to hate on Harry and Meghan has become a new obsession of my mother, go figure) so I liked this fine, but it’s repetitive and there’s not a lot here.

[Christine Hall · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ridi, Pagliaccio

Burrell’s memoir is a tragic farce of delusion, disloyalty, and self‑aggrandizement. A hollow performance masquerading as revelation, it struts through its pages as a name‑dropping buffoon’s ego trip and money grab. He even narrates the audiobook himself and cannot pronounce “Sacher.” There is nothing of value here. I hate the book and what it represents. It’s the kind of book that makes you want to shower afterward.

[amy :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good listen. Well done. :)

[fatima.]

princess diana lovers know that paul burrell is a real one!!!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you know me, you can probably guess that when I saw a book called "The Royal Insider," written by Paul Burrell, who worked for Queen Elizabeth II and Diana for twenty years, I would be interested.

Burrell tells us his story, how he was offered his dream job of working for the royals at 18. Within a year he became the Queen's personal footman and had close access to her. He only left her service reluctantly after ten years to work for Charles and Diana, since he felt that would be more conducive to the wife and kids he had by then. Then Diana died, and his royal service ended. He claims to still be in close contact with many who do work with the royals though, keeping him current on situations there.

I found many things in the book interesting. He talks about the late Queen's diagnosis of leukemia and shares her words after being diagnosed: "Well, that's a shame because next year is my Platinum Jubilee years and I'd quite like to have seen that. Can you keep me alive for that?" Doctors succeeded in that, with the Queen dealing with blood transfusions, giving up her favorite alcoholic drinks in order to do so. Her staff knew what she was dealing with but family only found out in the final few months.

He emphasizes her Christian beliefs: "Throughout her life, she felt God's presence in everything she did. I don't think we will ever see the likes of her again." Burrell felt it appropriate that she died at Balmoral in Scotland as that was her favorite home. She had wanted the castle kept private, and during her lifetime it was. King Charles has now opened it to visitors. Burrell mentions too that Balmoral must be regarded by William and Harry as a place of death as their grandmother died there, and they were also there when they learned of Princess Diana's death.

I felt about working in the Palace just as I felt about working in the world of classical music after reading "Mozart in the Jungle"--a decided YUCK. Apparently the Palace, at least in the 1980s, was full of homosexual employees. Burrell tells of being warned to keep his Buckingham Palace bedroom door locked because various employees would be betting on which could sleep with him first. Sure enough, he wakes up one night finding one, naked, in his room. It also amazed me to read of all the drinking that went on, both with staff and the royal family members themselves. "Booze seemed to run through the veins of the palace in all directions; it was the lifeblood of the palace ... Interestingly, only Princess Diana didn't indulge and remained teetotal."

I visited Diana's ancestral home of Althorp with its island where she is buried, back in 2024. Since then, I've read several places online that "locals know" that she is actually buried in the village church, not the island. But Burrell refutes that, saying that he heard those rumors as well but since he was at the private interment after her body arrived, he knows she is indeed buried there. He did share that he wasn't fond of the island as her final resting place as she seemed to be all alone there, as she often was in life.

Burrell offers insights about many of the royals. It was interesting to read his take on how William was favored, as heir to the throne, since childhood, even mentioning that he would get three breakfast sausages to Harry's two, with a nanny whispering that he needed "to grow up big and strong as you are going to be king one day." One nanny also called him "little prince." You have to admit, things like that make you feel for poor Harry.

When he went to work for Charles and Diana, Burrell realized quickly the degree of animosity in the household and that he would have to choose a "side"; he chose Diana's. He writes that many don't realize that the Queen and Prince Philip often "supported Diana against their own son. They said they knew who Charles was. They knew that he was spoiled and could be petulant and had a temper."

The book brings back all the angst of the Wales marriage, and again I was shocked to imagine Diana (and especially Charles!) apparently in shouting matches and throwing things. Burrell shares: "Plates were smashed, tempers raised and even tables overturned. Having set a candle-lit dinner for two on a card table, I arrived in the sitting room to find Charles crumpled on the floor in his silk dressing gown, covered in salad dressing and surrounded by broken china and glass." I may be naive but it's wild to me that some people (royals or not) live this way.

Burrell spent much time with Diana throughout the turbulent end of her marriage. I remember watching her funeral on TV and feeling a deep feeling of hopelessness from the lack of faith that the ceremony held. This book only reinforces that: "She had not been afraid of death since she witnessed the passing of (an AIDS patient). She told me when my mum died, 'When a person dies, their spirit stays for a while and watches.'" He tells us that "she was obsessed with death and the thought of what was on the other side. Over the years she regularly sought advice from clairvoyants, psychics, mediums and astrologers." I find this so sad.

This book was fun for me--royal fodder, much of which I'd heard before, but still I didn't mind reading it again and learning a few new tidbits. Burrell seems likeable and like a friend, but he can be pretty self-important at times too. I had to roll my eyes when he shared a lot about his stint on "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!" which sounds like a UK version of Survivor. He also seriously seems miffed about not having been depicted in "The Crown": "I knew her better than most ... yet I am nowhere to be seen in The Crown and I have wondered how that can be." He tells us over and over that he speaks up because he knows the truth. In 2001, police arrive at his home and he was charged with stealing 315 items from Diana's estate, 6 from Charles, and 21 from William. He makes much of the late Queen being responsible for his acquittal. Of course he claims innocence but I feel l like there usually isn't a bunch of smoke without at least a bit of fire. He claims he was investigated because his lifestyle greatly improved after Diana's death, but he attributes this to sales of a book he wrote on etiquette. Really? I see that book has under 70 reviews on Amazon and I just can't see a book on etiquette selling tons of copies.

And I definitely didn't share many of his beliefs. He shares his journey to "coming out" as gay, explaining this to his wife and divorcing her, then meeting a man on the subway and eventually marrying him. He tells us that he "believes in an afterlife, as did the Queen, and I take solace in the idea of passing on to somewhere where I would see familiar faces. It was a comfort to me to think that wherever she went next, Diana would be there to greet her. I believe that we see our loved ones in whatever form, whatever spirit, after death." He also shares that "for a long time I thought being gay was an affront to God." Now, he has "evolved" to a point where "gone are the feelings of shame and social stigma. Pride is a celebration of embracing your own sexuality and supporting the LGBTQ rights movement." Well--good luck with that, I suppose.

Fun read if you love the royals, although it reads a bit like Burrell threw a lot of notes together; he says things more than once throughout and apparently many of the bits here were also shared in his earlier tell-all book. I would guess he wanted more money; can't fault him for that.

[Gena Lynam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Enjoyed the book but found that a lot of the details are in the public domaine already. It was quite repetitive too. And again, many of the details were already covered in Paul Burrell’s first book.

Disappointing.

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not a massive non fiction reader, but I was interested to read this.
It’s quite an eye opener, it made me think, and I liked the way it was written.
If you’re intrigued give it a read!

[SundayAtDusk · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is hard not to wonder if the reason Paul Burrell wrote yet another book about Princess Diana was because of the Netflix mini-series The Crown. He realized a new generation would be discovering Princess Diana and he wanted to set the record straight. Plus, the newcomers would likely buy books!

One of the most amusing things in this memoir is how Mr. Burrell complained he wasn’t a character in The Crown,. He didn’t understand how they could have possibly left him out. As he always has believed for decades, Princess Diana was one of the most important individuals to ever walk the face of the earth, and he was one of the most important individuals in her life. Their relationship was in reality an unhealthy co-dependent one, and the author does acknowledge that at times, yet still seems to believe he should be viewed like a relative or best friend, not as an employee.

This book starts off with Mr. Burrell’s childhood years, which was interesting, and then goes on to the days he started working at Buckingham Palace as a teenage footman. Drinking was rampant among the servants, as was betting by some older homosexuals on the staff who would be the first to rape the new young men hired. Prince Charles’ beloved valet, who later died of AIDS, was the first one to try with Mr. Burrell, but the author threatened to call the police if he did not leave his bedroom. If there were any additional attempts, the author did not say.

Much of the palace additional stories centered on Queen Elizabeth and how much Mr. Burrell liked and admired her. There were additional observations and comments about many others in the royal family, too, but of course Diana got the spotlight. The stories about her were not new, and those well-read about her life may get easily bored. There was one new accusation, though. One of the most repeated stories about her was when Prince Charles came to the hospital after Prince Harry was born and made a snide comment about him having red hair. In this book, the author claims she told him the Prince added the remark that now he had an heir and a spare so he could go back to Camilla.

It is hard to believe that Diana, who was always looking for sympathy, would not have made that remark well known if it had actually been made. Moreover, Mr. Burrell said he later told Prince Harry about that remark when he was an adult. Why? Why would he tell her son such a thing? He repeatedly claimed in the book he was simply trying to get the truth told, but it is unfortunately questionable at times that this is a man who always tells the truth, just as Princess Diana did not always tell the truth.

Paul Burrell is not an unlikable man, but his never-ending obsession with Princess Diana and telling the truth about her gets old. I will read no more about her and her life and about Mr. Burrell’s years serving as her butler. I will leave such readings to the newcomers, to the fans of The Crown, to those who need princesses and princes, kings and queens, and larger than life individuals. For at some point it simply seems ridiculous to give so much attention to individuals due to their birthrights or marriages.

(Note: I received a free e-ARC of this book from Netgalley and the publisher or author.)

[Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Mobius for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I’m still on the fence about Paul Burrell; the longtime royal servant wrote a book about 20 years ago about his relationship with Princess Diana; at the time, I couldn’t decide if it was a cash grab or someone who truly had her best interests in mind. There was little news in the U.S. press about the legal case regarding Burrell, but once I found out about it, I was a little more sympathetic. Now that Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip have died, and Burrell’s previous book did well, he’s telling tales that he couldn’t more than 20 years ago. The Royal Insider is a companion book to his previous release.

The writing is uneven, especially in the first half of the book, where the author weaves his story of his own life before getting his job at Buckingham Palace. He worked for the queen for eleven years before leaving to work for the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1987. There isn’t a linear and chronological line in this book until the halfway point, and I really wondered if I would DNF it, but I soldiered on. The second half of the book is MUCH better than the first half.

Burrell doesn’t reveal anything too earth-shattering about Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh, but it was nice to hear about some private moments between a servant and his employers. He shows the humanity in the people who never gave interviews and had a deep sense of duty and loyalty. He has spent his life in the favor of the royals, but now he is opening up. It is clear from his writing that he tries to be diplomatic about King Charles, but Burrell was there for all the nasty stuff that went on between Charles and Diana, and he has always been Diana’s champion.

Overall, this was a good book about the royals, and it was probably cathartic for Burrell, who lays his personal life out there for everyone to see. He was married for many years and had two sons, but he was a closeted gay man. Now with the love of his life since 2017, he’s decided there are no more secrets. And that can be seen as commendable.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paul was born in a coal mining town and thought it would be his future to work in the mines as had his family and ancestors. However, he did not want that life so with the help and love of his mother, he went further in school and ended up being offered a job as a footman to Queen Elizabeth in Buckingham Palace. Thus began his long career working for the people he most loved and admired.

Over 20 years, he learned a lot and was offered many kindnesses by the royal family. He enjoyed his chats with the Queen and always took her sage advice to heart. He was very loyal to the family and followed them from one home to another.

Paul wondered early in life if he was gay. An encounter with a man was wondrous for him but the Queen told him that having a family was very important in his life. Thus, he married Maria, a maid to Prince Phillip and together they raised two sons. However, that sexuality question remained with him for a long time until he met a man with whom he fell in love. Maria understood and they divorced so he could marry the man he loved.

But let’s back up a bit. Paul worked his way up to being the Butler and close confidant to Princess Diana whom he adored. He was there for her through her marriage and the birth of her two sons and especially for the pain of watching her marriage crumble. He was there to comfort her after her disastrous television interview and Charles’s blatant affair with Camilla. He helped her through her divorce and wept when she was killed in that car crash.

We follow him more as he discusses his grief at the death of Queen Elizabeth; the happiness of the marriage of William and Catherine; and lastly the shock and disappointment of Harry and Meghan’s exit to the United States.

I thoroughly enjoyed this up-to-date depiction of the English royal family. Paul’s recollections are presented as fair and honest. He does not try to embellish on things and make himself appear more important that he is. A terrific read.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Yvonne Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure if yet another book from Paul Burrell was going to tell us anything we hadn't already heard, but he did give us some new information. The book is partly an autobiography, tracing his life from his childhood in a coal mining village in Derbyshire to his life as a footman to the Queen and then in the household of the Prince and Princess of Wales and finally as the Princess's butler after their separation. He recounts his personal journey from bachelor to married man with children to coming out as gay and his second marriage. These reminiscences are interleaved with stories of his royal service. Now the Queen and Prince Philip are no longer with us, Burrell gives us more details about his interactions with the Queen, including what happened during his trial for theft and how Her Majesty intervened with information that exonerated him.

He was obviously very emotionally involved with his royal employers, particularly Diana (something already clear from his previous books), but he goes into more detail in this book about how that involvement affected his personal life and relationships. Hopefully his insights have brought him some peace and allowed him to move forward with his life.

As well as the anecdotes about the Queen and Prince Philip, the book has a few things to say about some of the other royals, particularly the Sussexes and the King. I was impressed by his attitude to Queen Camilla - acknowledging the qualities that make her an effective consort and supportive wife even though he obviously finds it hard to forgive the effect on Diana of the relationship between Charles and Camilla throughout Diana's marriage. He is less forgiving toward the Sussexes, and his insights into how Diana might have felt about how things have turned out for her sons make interesting reading.

This book would be a good addition to any collection of biographies and reminiscences about the royal family in recent years.

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very intriguing and heart-felt memoir which expands upon the author’s previous book, A Royal Duty, written after Princess Diana’s death. As Paul Burrell writes with the death of Queen Elizabeth II, he feels he can tell the complete story of his time in service of the British Royal family. It’s definitely a paean to Elizabeth and provides a different view of her than the public would know - with some interesting insights into others of her family.

This isn’t a racy tell-all. It’s serious and measured. Having read other books about the royals over the course of time, I’d compliment it on its accuracy, its desire to be truthful and when giving opinions on character of those identified in the book, being civil and honest. Burrell records his opinions of those for whom he worked and spares no one his opinion- many of which from the sideline seat I occupy I agreed with.

I appreciated Burrell’s great respect for Elizabeth. He’s writing mostly of his experiences with her as a servant - though historical events intervene in the telling. And his devotion to Diana is second to none. I think what’s hard for Burrell is that the world had changed and the view of the monarchy with it. I admire that he sees William having the right frame of mind to be effective as king, but is that’s what is needed? Nonetheless, this book offers great insight into norms and requirements of the. Royal Family

I enjoyed this book immensely. I’d like to thank NetGalley and Hatchette Books for allowing me to read this ARC.

[Fastidious Kingdoms · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

I wouldn’t believe a word about his relationship and conversations with QEII…if I hadn’t read Angela Kelly’s books about her decades as the Queen’s dresser and friend. Mind you, I didn’t completely buy all of Ms Kelly’s accounts of Her Majesty because the Queen didn’t sound entirely real.

However, the QEII presented in both authors’ accounts speaks syntactically the same, somewhere between slightly dotty and slightly stilted. Mind you, Mr Burrell and Ms Kelly’s tenures never overlapped; I don’t know if they’ve ever met. Given their apparent unfamiliarity with each other, I’m left to believe that each author’s account corroborates the other’s. Ergo, Mr Burrell’s conversations did happen.

I also applaud Mr Burrell for finally realizing that he let Diana take over too much of his life, yet he doesn’t stop for more serious self-reflection

So, while credibility isn’t a major problem, the meandering narrative is. It’s nonlinear for reasons that elude me, and he repeats himself in several places.

Overall, it’s an informative, pleasant read, even though I wouldn’t call it enlightening.

[Mila Cutteridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting listen. Princess Diana lovers already know that Paul Burrell is a real one, so I was immediately curious about his side of things. I did not read his first book, so I did not feel like this was overly repetitive the way some longtime readers might.

He has lived such a fascinating life, and you can tell this book still feels personal for him. At times it felt like part of the reason for writing it was to continue proving his innocence, which is understandable given everything he went through. Even when that came through, I still found his perspective compelling and worth hearing.

I listened on Audible and the narration made a big difference. It was engaging, clear, and easy to stay locked into, which always matters with memoirs. Overall, this was a solid, interesting royal read, especially for anyone who still has a soft spot for Princess Diana and the people who were truly loyal to her.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Hachette Book Group, for providing the copy of The Royal Insider by Paul Burrell. This is the first book I have read by Burrell, who worked for The Queen of England, then moved on to work for Princess Diana. I loved his memories of how he took care of them, and how they, in turn, took care of him. Especially touching is his account of what he did after he got word of Diana's accident and subsequent death. His respect and love for them is apparent in this book, so I kept that in mind when reading his feelings about some members of the royal family. Although the narrative was rambling and sometimes repetitive, and it would have been more effective if it had been chronological, I enjoyed it. This book would be great if you love knowing more about the royal family; both good and bad, or if you want to know more about the inner workings of the Monarchy. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

[Cee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to snag Paul Burrell's memoir when I saw it on NetGalley as I enjoy reading about the British Royal Family, There were some interesting details I hadn't read/heard elsewhere before (especially about a certain unpopular royal family member).

My favorite passage/recollection in the book was a conversation he related between the Queen and Prince Phillip when he (Phillip) complained why the Queen had to have "so bloody many" corgis, to which she responded, "But darling, there so collectible." I mean, she's not wrong! (I may have then messaged my husband to inform him that (a) "Royals, there just like the rest of us" and (b) might I have a fourth dog now as she had NINE. While he was humored to know this common ground, I was informed, "no.")

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Mobius for the ARC edition of this book.

[Scarlet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gossipy, intriguing, occasionally repetitive and still a quite enjoyable read. Paul Burrell served the Queen for more than a decade as her personal footman and clearly remained devoted to her until her death in 2022. His humble beginnings as the son of coal miners make his palace career all the more striking. The anecdotes range from priceless (King Charles I 🪓) to unsettling (the Royal Yacht Britannia 😳). The shutters are firmly down on Harry and Meghan at the House of Windsor as royal connections alone no longer carry value. Burrell himself is sweet, flamboyant, and perhaps a bit self-indulgent, but the photographs and insider glimpses make this worth the time.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Occasionally sycophantic, highly critical, and ultimately utterly human, Burrell writes with obvious and admitted bias and I loved the book all the more for that. He isn’t a detached journalist, he is a man who like all of us has relationships and that formed the shape of his story.

Surprisingly my favorite part of the story was actually how he went from a small mining town to the Queen’s number one footman. I didn’t know anything about his background and his journey fascinated me.

The behind the scenes view of the most famous royal family was so fascinating, making these unknowable figures more human. It was everything I wanted from a royal butler’s memoir.

[Christine Cazeneuve · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely wonderful book and not just for those that love to read about the British monarchy. Paul Burrell does an amazing job of sharing personal insight to two remarkable women while being completely respectful of them both. Additionally, he shares his experiences and opinions about King Charles III, Prince William, Harry and their spouses. Finally you will learn about Paul's own life journey which is also interesting. I found myself wanting more and more and hope he shares further stories in the future. A truly enjoyable book! Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

not my usual book of choice, but i enjoyed it, although i would add that (in my opinion only) although Paul has worked for the Royal Family. i think he has exaggerated how close he was to Diana..

most of this book is Diana and me were close, i loved her, i was her rock, i would do anything for her, it just feels like he was only famous because of his work with Diana.

i read another book called 'The Royal Butler' by Grant Harrold and he has been in the same line as work as Paul Burrell but he never went over the top with his stories etc

[Shelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly intriguing book that will grab you right from the start. I've been a Lady Di fan since I was a teen and have always loved reading everything about her and her boys. Paul does a good job of sharing his history with both her and the Queen, including how it affected it personal life. He was able to share this without all the gossipy drama that you might usually find in these type of books. It's really an interesting part of the royal family history. Paul was a large part of it, like it or not.

[Valerity (Val) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable look behind the scenes at royal life. Burrell first worked for the Queen, then for Charles and Diana as a butler. The stories he tells are very respectful of the families involved, and you can feel his reverence for the Queen and Diana throughout the book. He was working for Diana at the time of her tragic death, and his painful role in the days after was heart wrenching to read.

[lex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed a peek behind the curtain but I also take it with a grain of salt. He was clearly close to the royal family but I think he oversells how close he was especially selling books about it afterwards

Also the order of the book was read. It was all over the place with tons of different stories going back and forth in history

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good book. Gives you a lot of details about Diana and the royal family. Somewhat redundant though if you are a history nerd but great if you don’t know much about Diana or King Charles with their history. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read and share my thoughts

[Candy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good personal history about life in service with both Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana. Paul Burrell shares his experiences during the 21 years he served the Royal family. His insights into the royals and those surrounding them were easy to read and understand. Very interesting.

[Tracy Eckland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice book

[J R · Rating 5 out of 5]

fantastically fun memoir that you should take with a little bit of a grain of salt but still really intriguing throughout. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

[Sara Mcmillan · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting read.

[Jj Long]

This book read like a fantasist. I rolled my eyes so many times.