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Diana's Butler Off the Hook

Aired November 01, 2002 - 11:27   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A royal surprise jolted the court where Princess Diana's butler on trial in London. The case collapsed after some information from the queen herself surfaced unexpectedly.
Reporter Robin Curnow joins us now. She is live from London. Hello.

ROBIN CURNOW, LONDON REPORTER: Hello.

The queen came through for me. Not many royal servants that say that. But Paul Burrow, the former royal butler to Princess Diana, the queen's former daughter-in-law, said this morning heard he was acquitted of three counts of theft. He was accused of stealing more than 300 personal items belonging to Diana after she died in 1997.

But the amazing thing is that two weeks into this trial, two years into the investigation, the queen only came through with information that she had a discussion with Paul Burrow weeks after the death of Diana in which she said he was keeping some of these possessions for safekeeping. This effect has completely collapsed the trial. And many are now asking why the queen only came through with this information so late in the day.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT JOBSON, CNN ROYAL COMMENTATOR: She should have come forward sooner with the information. Indeed, people could argue Scotland Yard should have gone to her and asked this question. But really, this is quite a dramatic twist, and something I think would caused reverberations for the next couple of weeks, months, years even.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: Whether it's a botched police investigation or as some people are speculating the fact that the monarchy getting a bit jittery about the information coming out in the prosecution's arguments, very personal, intimate details of Diana's life, of her relationship between herself and the family and the inner workings of the royal family. Paul Burrow was about to take the stand, so what would have come out then might have proved embarrassing for the royal family, Daryn, here in Britain, and some speculating the queen had to come with this information at this time just to try to protect some of the privacy that the royal family here so relish.

KAGAN: So intriguing, Robin. What happens to the stuff now? Does Paul Burrell get to keep it? CURNOW: Well, the stuff, I mean, it's amazing when you think of it, more than 300 really personal possessions, photographs, letters, undeveloped film, lots of Diana's clothes. Even her night dress we know was found in her house, stuffed in the attic along the stairs. So we know that all that obviously was held in police custody for evidence.

But now, obviously probably going back to Diana's family estate, along with the photographs, and obviously, they may be passed on to her young son, Prince William, who will be king one day, and the second in line, also, Prince Harry, so we don't know what will happen to all the stuff, but at least one end to another intriguing saga links to the British royal family.

KAGAN: I bet they'll be many more interesting developments in this story about why the queen did what she did when she did it, and we will be looking for that.

Robert Curnow from London, thank you so much.

CURNOW: Absolutely.

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 November 1, 2002 - 11:27   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A royal surprise jolted the court where Princess Diana's butler on trial in London. The case collapsed after some information from the queen herself surfaced unexpectedly.
Reporter Robin Curnow joins us now. She is live from London. Hello.

ROBIN CURNOW, LONDON REPORTER: Hello.

The queen came through for me. Not many royal servants that say that. But Paul Burrow, the former royal butler to Princess Diana, the queen's former daughter-in-law, said this morning heard he was acquitted of three counts of theft. He was accused of stealing more than 300 personal items belonging to Diana after she died in 1997.

But the amazing thing is that two weeks into this trial, two years into the investigation, the queen only came through with information that she had a discussion with Paul Burrow weeks after the death of Diana in which she said he was keeping some of these possessions for safekeeping. This effect has completely collapsed the trial. And many are now asking why the queen only came through with this information so late in the day.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT JOBSON, CNN ROYAL COMMENTATOR: She should have come forward sooner with the information. Indeed, people could argue Scotland Yard should have gone to her and asked this question. But really, this is quite a dramatic twist, and something I think would caused reverberations for the next couple of weeks, months, years even.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: Whether it's a botched police investigation or as some people are speculating the fact that the monarchy getting a bit jittery about the information coming out in the prosecution's arguments, very personal, intimate details of Diana's life, of her relationship between herself and the family and the inner workings of the royal family. Paul Burrow was about to take the stand, so what would have come out then might have proved embarrassing for the royal family, Daryn, here in Britain, and some speculating the queen had to come with this information at this time just to try to protect some of the privacy that the royal family here so relish.

KAGAN: So intriguing, Robin. What happens to the stuff now? Does Paul Burrell get to keep it? CURNOW: Well, the stuff, I mean, it's amazing when you think of it, more than 300 really personal possessions, photographs, letters, undeveloped film, lots of Diana's clothes. Even her night dress we know was found in her house, stuffed in the attic along the stairs. So we know that all that obviously was held in police custody for evidence.

But now, obviously probably going back to Diana's family estate, along with the photographs, and obviously, they may be passed on to her young son, Prince William, who will be king one day, and the second in line, also, Prince Harry, so we don't know what will happen to all the stuff, but at least one end to another intriguing saga links to the British royal family.

KAGAN: I bet they'll be many more interesting developments in this story about why the queen did what she did when she did it, and we will be looking for that.

Robert Curnow from London, thank you so much.

CURNOW: Absolutely.

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