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American Morning

Butler Did It?

Aired October 16, 2002 - 07:43   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Princess Diana's butler is going on trial in London. No small charge to this. Paul Burrell, whom the princess called her "rock" -- we'll find out what that means in a minute -- is accused of stealing over $7 million worth of personal items from the royal palace before and after Diana's death back in 1997.
Richard Quest joins us now from over there in London to tell us what the feeling is among the royal subjects. Did the butler do this?

Good morning.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Jack.

The key question is: What was the butler doing with the princess' nightie? Because that was just one of the many items that were found at Paul Burrell's home.

There are several hundred, more than 300 items that Burrell is said to have taken. They include things like pens and mementos, lighters, salt and pepper shakers. But crucially, they also involve the personal items -- pictures of Prince William and Prince Harry naked in the bath when they were little children...

CAFFERTY: Oh, please!

QUEST: ... pictures of Prince Harry being hugged by his mother and father virtually moments after his birth. All of these various pictures, including as well as things like Diana's Versace dresses, Burrell removed from Kensington Palace after the princess' death.

And what the prosecution says is: Why? Even if he was looking after them, they should have by now been returned to either the prince of Wales, Prince William, Prince Harry or the Spencers.

It's absolutely a case where, was he given them? Did he think he had a right to them? Or, Jack, did he steal them?

CAFFERTY: Does he have any defense in this thing? I mean, according to the newspapers, the police over there caught him coming out of one of the buildings with Diana's stuff at 3:30 in the morning, caught him red-handed with a trunk full of her clothing and stuff. What's his defense? I mean, they got him.

QUEST: The trial is -- well, the trial is just only in its second day, and we haven't heard from the defense yet. But, what the prosecution says is that Burrell changed his story again and again. First of all, he was going to destroy it. That was the stuff he was taking at 3:30 in the morning out the back door at Kensington Palace, putting it in the trunk of his car. Then, he says he was looking after it, and was going to give it to the princes.

In short, his story has changed, and what everybody in this country -- we're all a bit Diana doubt (ph). We've had an enormous amount of sex scandal, birth scandal, marital scandal.

But I think what everybody really wants to know is what excuse he can come up with? You know, Jack, this man's attic was chock-a-block with Diana memorabilia that, as the prosecution says, if you took into Sotheby's, would be worth a fortune. The letter from Diana to the British prime minister at the time, John Major, thanking him for his sympathy over the divorce -- worth a fortune.

CAFFERTY: Yes. One of the things apparently this guy made off with was an authentic Indiana Jones bullwhip. Now, what do you suppose the princess used that for?

QUEST: Now, the bullwhip is important. The bullwhip is crucial, because there's no dispute. The bullwhip was given by the princess to Burrell as a present.

And interestingly, a bit of side tidbit for you, not about the bullwhip, apparently, Burrell's wife has said of the princess, "She was the third person in our marriage."

CAFFERTY: Kinky. All right, we've got to go. Richard, it's always a pleasure, my friend, and you'll keep us updated on this trial as it progresses.

QUEST: I will.

CAFFERTY: Richard Quest live in London.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired October 16, 2002 - 07:43   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Princess Diana's butler is going on trial in London. No small charge to this. Paul Burrell, whom the princess called her "rock" -- we'll find out what that means in a minute -- is accused of stealing over $7 million worth of personal items from the royal palace before and after Diana's death back in 1997.
Richard Quest joins us now from over there in London to tell us what the feeling is among the royal subjects. Did the butler do this?

Good morning.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Jack.

The key question is: What was the butler doing with the princess' nightie? Because that was just one of the many items that were found at Paul Burrell's home.

There are several hundred, more than 300 items that Burrell is said to have taken. They include things like pens and mementos, lighters, salt and pepper shakers. But crucially, they also involve the personal items -- pictures of Prince William and Prince Harry naked in the bath when they were little children...

CAFFERTY: Oh, please!

QUEST: ... pictures of Prince Harry being hugged by his mother and father virtually moments after his birth. All of these various pictures, including as well as things like Diana's Versace dresses, Burrell removed from Kensington Palace after the princess' death.

And what the prosecution says is: Why? Even if he was looking after them, they should have by now been returned to either the prince of Wales, Prince William, Prince Harry or the Spencers.

It's absolutely a case where, was he given them? Did he think he had a right to them? Or, Jack, did he steal them?

CAFFERTY: Does he have any defense in this thing? I mean, according to the newspapers, the police over there caught him coming out of one of the buildings with Diana's stuff at 3:30 in the morning, caught him red-handed with a trunk full of her clothing and stuff. What's his defense? I mean, they got him.

QUEST: The trial is -- well, the trial is just only in its second day, and we haven't heard from the defense yet. But, what the prosecution says is that Burrell changed his story again and again. First of all, he was going to destroy it. That was the stuff he was taking at 3:30 in the morning out the back door at Kensington Palace, putting it in the trunk of his car. Then, he says he was looking after it, and was going to give it to the princes.

In short, his story has changed, and what everybody in this country -- we're all a bit Diana doubt (ph). We've had an enormous amount of sex scandal, birth scandal, marital scandal.

But I think what everybody really wants to know is what excuse he can come up with? You know, Jack, this man's attic was chock-a-block with Diana memorabilia that, as the prosecution says, if you took into Sotheby's, would be worth a fortune. The letter from Diana to the British prime minister at the time, John Major, thanking him for his sympathy over the divorce -- worth a fortune.

CAFFERTY: Yes. One of the things apparently this guy made off with was an authentic Indiana Jones bullwhip. Now, what do you suppose the princess used that for?

QUEST: Now, the bullwhip is important. The bullwhip is crucial, because there's no dispute. The bullwhip was given by the princess to Burrell as a present.

And interestingly, a bit of side tidbit for you, not about the bullwhip, apparently, Burrell's wife has said of the princess, "She was the third person in our marriage."

CAFFERTY: Kinky. All right, we've got to go. Richard, it's always a pleasure, my friend, and you'll keep us updated on this trial as it progresses.

QUEST: I will.

CAFFERTY: Richard Quest live in London.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.