Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
The Butler Did It: Burrell's Tell All
Aired October 31, 2003 - 06:51 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I'm sure you know this by now. Over in Britain, Princess Diana's former butler has written a smashing bestseller, disclosing secrets of the British royal family and its palace intrigue. But the British press is calling Paul Burrell, the butler, a leech, a traitor, an arrogant flunky. Today, Burrell is supposed to meet with Prince William.
Walter Rodgers joins us live from London to talk more about that.
Where will this meeting take place -- Walter?
WALTER RODGERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's a big secret, Carol, and it's going to stay very quiet. Paul Burrell, Princess Diana's former butler, says it will be a private meeting. And he, at least for his part, says he will never divulge what is said between him and Princess Diana's elder child, Charles' elder child; that in point of fact it will be private and nothing more will be said about the meeting.
Now, one thing that's interesting about Paul Burrell, when he spoke on "LARRY KING" last night, was that he seemed to almost see this upcoming meeting with Prince William as a kind of entry back into the royal family. I'm sure the Windsors, Prince Charles certainly, sees nothing of that sort coming out of the meeting. Indeed, one of the stories making the rounds in London is that Prince Charles has forbidden Burrell's name to even be mentioned in the palace.
Burrell's motive in writing the book about Princess Diana seems two-fold. One of the motives, of course, seems to be that he is trying to restore the record, set the record straight about Princess Diana. He appears to have adored the woman. And the other aspect, of course, is money. The man is going to make a lot of money out of this. As one of his critics said, he's going to be laughing all the way to the bank.
But no matter what you say about Paul Burrell at this point, and this is very important, even his worst critics, when you ask them: Did he lie? They say, no, he didn't lie. He did not lie. He told the truth -- Carol.
COSTELLO: And you just have to wonder what Prince William will say to him, because the book is already out. He's given countless interviews, and he's given out a lot of information about Princess Diana.
RODGERS: Well, of course, and this is purely in the realm of speculation, but Prince William could indeed ask for whatever possessions of his mother's Paul Burrell has to be returned to him. One of the interesting aspects of the story remains, however, that Burrell's children and Diana's and Charles' children used to play together, and Paul Burrell confessed considerable affection for the boys, the princes if you will.
So, it's not likely to be a hostile meeting, and you don't know how much of what Prince William says is what he feels in his heart and whether they have a happy reunion, discussing Princess Diana, whom they both love, or whether indeed Prince William will be doing his father's bidding and be very stern and represent the palace. And we don't know how the young man really feels -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Well, I'm sure you'll be following this story and finding out where that secret meeting location is. Walter Rodgers reporting live from London this morning.
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 31, 2003 - 06:51 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I'm sure you know this by now. Over in Britain, Princess Diana's former butler has written a smashing bestseller, disclosing secrets of the British royal family and its palace intrigue. But the British press is calling Paul Burrell, the butler, a leech, a traitor, an arrogant flunky. Today, Burrell is supposed to meet with Prince William.
Walter Rodgers joins us live from London to talk more about that.
Where will this meeting take place -- Walter?
WALTER RODGERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's a big secret, Carol, and it's going to stay very quiet. Paul Burrell, Princess Diana's former butler, says it will be a private meeting. And he, at least for his part, says he will never divulge what is said between him and Princess Diana's elder child, Charles' elder child; that in point of fact it will be private and nothing more will be said about the meeting.
Now, one thing that's interesting about Paul Burrell, when he spoke on "LARRY KING" last night, was that he seemed to almost see this upcoming meeting with Prince William as a kind of entry back into the royal family. I'm sure the Windsors, Prince Charles certainly, sees nothing of that sort coming out of the meeting. Indeed, one of the stories making the rounds in London is that Prince Charles has forbidden Burrell's name to even be mentioned in the palace.
Burrell's motive in writing the book about Princess Diana seems two-fold. One of the motives, of course, seems to be that he is trying to restore the record, set the record straight about Princess Diana. He appears to have adored the woman. And the other aspect, of course, is money. The man is going to make a lot of money out of this. As one of his critics said, he's going to be laughing all the way to the bank.
But no matter what you say about Paul Burrell at this point, and this is very important, even his worst critics, when you ask them: Did he lie? They say, no, he didn't lie. He did not lie. He told the truth -- Carol.
COSTELLO: And you just have to wonder what Prince William will say to him, because the book is already out. He's given countless interviews, and he's given out a lot of information about Princess Diana.
RODGERS: Well, of course, and this is purely in the realm of speculation, but Prince William could indeed ask for whatever possessions of his mother's Paul Burrell has to be returned to him. One of the interesting aspects of the story remains, however, that Burrell's children and Diana's and Charles' children used to play together, and Paul Burrell confessed considerable affection for the boys, the princes if you will.
So, it's not likely to be a hostile meeting, and you don't know how much of what Prince William says is what he feels in his heart and whether they have a happy reunion, discussing Princess Diana, whom they both love, or whether indeed Prince William will be doing his father's bidding and be very stern and represent the palace. And we don't know how the young man really feels -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Well, I'm sure you'll be following this story and finding out where that secret meeting location is. Walter Rodgers reporting live from London this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
