Butler: Not Sorry for Princess Di Revelations

Oct. 24, 2003 -- — As Princess Diana's former butler gives the media inside information about his time with her — claiming she never wanted to divorce Prince Charles, and that she feared for her safety — her sons say they feel betrayed.

"We cannot believe that Paul who was entrusted with so much could abuse his position in such a cold and overt betrayal," Prince William and Prince Harry said in a joint written statement.

"It is not only deeply painful for the two of us but also for everyone else affected," the statement continued, "and it would mortify our mother if she were alive today and, if we might say so, we feel we are more able to speak for our mother than Paul."

In a statement given to ABCNEWS and later read to the British media, Burrell said he is "saddened" by the princes' reaction to published details from his forthcoming book, A Royal Duty, which "is nothing more than a tribute to their mother." He said he hopes William and Harry will "think differently" upon reading the entire book.

"My only intention in writing this book was to defend the princess and stand in her corner," Burrell said.

However, he added, he would not apologize for the book.

"I would also like to point out that following the collapse of my Old Bailey trial last year, no one from the royal family contacted me or said 'sorry' for the ordeal myself, my wife and my sons were put through," Burrell said. "Neither do I say 'sorry' for writing this book of which I am extremely proud. And I am convinced the princess would be proud of it too. I've told the truth. The British public should know the truth."

Diana Never Wanted Divorce

In his exclusive interview with Barbara Walters for ABCNEWS' 20/20, Diana's former butler and confidant says the princess never wanted to divorce Prince Charles, and hoped for a reconciliation with the prince in spite of Charles' highly publicized relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles.

Burrell says Diana didn't just love Charles, she adored him. "She fell desperately in love with him. … She wrote letters to friends to tell them how in love she was, how much she adored him, and what a lucky lady she was," Burrell says.

Even as their relationship was falling apart, Burrell says, "She still wanted to work with the marriage." Six years after Diana's death, Burrell has released a controversial new book, in which he discloses intimate details about Diana's personal life. "She called me her emotional washing machine," Burrell tells Walters.

Burrell said Diana sent him a handwritten note claiming she "never wanted a divorce" from Prince Charles, and said Diana kept more than 20 photographs of Prince Charles in her room at Kensington Palace. In the prince's own way, Burrell says, Charles also continued to love Diana after their marriage broke up. Charles sent her flowers on her birthday and gifts on Valentine's Day.

"There's a bit of her that always loved the prince until the day she died."

Burrell says that Prince Philip tried to keep Charles and Diana's marriage together, but dispelled widespread rumors that Philip made derogatory remarks about Diana, such as calling her "a harlot." On the contrary, Burrell said Prince Philip said in a letter to Diana, "How could anyone in their right mind leave you for Camilla?"

'Paranoid' About Security

One of the most explosive disclosures in Burrell's book is his claim that Diana wrote him a letter 10 months before she and her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed, were killed in a Paris car crash, saying that she feared for her life and that someone was "planning an accident in my car." Burrell does not disclose the identity of who Diana thought might be trying to harm her in his book. However, he said he will give those names to authorities if there is an inquiry into Diana's death.

The British government has so far rejected calls for a public inquiry into Diana's death. A coroner's inquest is however expected to be held once legal processes in France have been completed.

In 1999, a French investigation ruled the crash was an accident caused by the chauffeur being drunk and driving too fast.

When asked about the reasons why Diana would have feared for her life, Burrell said the princess was frightened for her own security because the royal family considered her a "loose cannon."

"She talked rather a lot to a lot of people," said Burrell. "She trusted psychics and confidants, and I think they just wanted to keep her quiet."

He described one incident where the princess was convinced there were recording bugs placed in her sitting room.

"She was paranoid about all other aspects of security in her life," he said. "One afternoon I went up to her sitting room, we rolled back the carpet and moved all the furniture and pulled up the floor boards trying to find listening devices." There were no bugs found in the room.

Dodi Wasn't the One

Burrell paints a picture of the princess struggling to cope after Charles left her for longtime companion Camilla Parker Bowles.

"She said she needed a marriage like a bad rash," Burrell tells Walters. But he added that he felt certain that Diana would not have married Fayed. "He may have wanted to," said Burrell of Fayed. "But he wasn't the one."

He also dispelled rumors that Diana was pregnant with Fayed's child at the time of her death as well as reports that Prince Harry was the son of former royal cavalry officer James Hewitt, with whom the princess acknowledged having an affair in a 1995 interview.

"Absolutely not true," said Burrell. "The princess didn't even know James Hewitt when Harry was born."

Burrell tells Walters that Diana's true love at the time of her death was a Pakistani heart surgeon Hasnat Khan, whom the princess met when she visited a heart transplant patient at London's Brompton Hospital.

According to Burrell, Diana would have liked to marry Khan, but Khan broke off their relationship. "I think there were too many complications on both sides," Burrell said.

It was shortly after the relationship ended that Diana met Fayed, the son of Mohammed Al Fayed, the owner of London's exclusive store Harrods.

A Falling Out With Fergie

At the time of Diana's death, Burrell says, the princess and Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, were not on speaking terms. The two had been very close friends — like sisters — he says, but had had a falling out.

Burrell said the Duchess of York, the former wife of Charles' brother Andrew, came to him after Diana's death. "She cried. She was devastated," he said.

Burrell also writes that Diana shared many of her personal problems with her son, William, who was only 15 at the time. He describes William as a "very old boy," who seemed able to comfort his mother. "When she cried," Burrell says, "he'd put his arms around her and say, 'Don't worry, Mummy. I'll make it better when I'm king.'"