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CNN Saturday Morning News
Interview with Deborah Hart Strober, Gerald Strober
Aired October 25, 2003 - 07:016 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: A firestorm in Britain over the impending release of a book about Princess Diana. It was written by her butler, Paul Burrell. Excerpts of the book were printed in a British tabloid, including the controversial letter in which Diana seems to predict the cause of her own death. The book comes out on Monday.
Following the printing of excerpts, Princess Diana's sons, William and Harry, released a statement accusing Burrell of "cold and overt betrayal." They went on to say, "It is not only deeply painful to the two of us, but also for everyone else affected, and it would mortify our mother if she were alive today."
Burrell, who calls the book to -- a tribute to Diana, responded to the princess's statement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL BURRELL, PRINCESS DIANA'S BUTLER: I am saddened at the statement issued on behalf of Prince William and Prince Harry, saddened because I know that this book is nothing more than a tribute to their mother. I am convinced that when the princes and everyone else reads this book in its entirety, they will think differently.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Let's take a closer look now at the controversy over the new book about Princess Diana.
Here to talk about the not-so-fairytale story of the princess are Gerald -- is Gerald Strober and -- Deborah Strober, I'm sorry, the both of you are here.
Thanks so much for being with us.
They are authors of "The Monarchy: An Oral Biography of Elizabeth II."
Thank you once again, to the both of you.
Let me begin with, what is new and different about these letters? Why don't we start with you, Deborah? DEBORAH HART STROBER, CO-AUTHOR, "THE MONARCHY": There's really nothing new about the revelations about the doctor she was in love with. That's been around. What is new is the revelation that, according to Burrell, if he is to be believed, if the letter is indeed authentic, that she was paranoid about the fact that somebody was going to try to kill her, which is ridiculous.
I mean, she might have had one moment of anxiety, but she certainly lived her life in those last 10 months to the fullest. She traveled everywhere, and put herself in danger in places like Angola.
So I don't think she was quaking in fear that somebody was trying to kill her.
COLLINS: Well, then, let me ask you, Gerald, what do you think about the timing of this release?
GERALD STROBER, CO-AUTHOR, "THE MONARCHY": Well, the timing of the release, you have a book coming out, you have the normal feeding frenzy with the British media and the tabloid press, to try to run up the amount of pounds that are going to be paid for serialization of the book.
As Deborah says, there's really nothing new in this. It's kind of a classic instance of, with friends like this, you don't need enemies. It reminds me almost of the old Hollywood movie saw, The butler did it.
COLLINS: So what's everyone so upset about, then, Deborah?
DEBORAH HART STROBER: Well, look, Diana, just her name generates excitement. So this is a controversy, this is her butler, and remember, he was in the news last year. He almost got convicted of possessing stolen goods. And then the royal family came, went to bat for him, and said, no, they knew that he had these letters in his possession.
So, you know, that's why this is especially despicable. He owes the royal family. And to trash the princess's memory and then inflict this harm on her sons is double horrific, I think.
COLLINS: Is it obvious, then, Gerald, that people feel that he not only betrayed the princess, but then also the royal family in this latest move?
GERALD STROBER: Well, you know, he famously said last year that he was the keeper of Princess Diana's secrets. Now, if you're the keeper of the secrets, on the one hand, you may keep them until you go to the grave. Or, on the other hand, you may sell them to the highest bidder.
And I think that's what's happened in this instance. Yes, it is a betrayal, of course. On the other hand, Diana was a very public person, courted the media herself, and wanted attention from around the world.
So it's kind of a tension between Diana's longing for attention and Burrell's longing for pounds.
COLLINS: Well, from what you've seen of these letters, Deborah, let me ask you, do you think that what -- some of the things that were written, are these sort of characterizations of Diana, were they consistent with her personality?
DEBORAH HART STROBER: Well, the one about being troubled and fearful that somebody was trying to kill her, that is just not what -- you know, that doesn't ring true. That troubles me tremendously. She might have had just one night of anxiety, but she certainly was a very public person in those last 10 months of her life.
COLLINS: All right. To the both of you, we certainly appreciate your time this morning. We have with us Gerald and Deborah Strober. Thanks, guys, appreciate it very much.
GERALD STROBER: Thank you.
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 25, 2003 - 07:016 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: A firestorm in Britain over the impending release of a book about Princess Diana. It was written by her butler, Paul Burrell. Excerpts of the book were printed in a British tabloid, including the controversial letter in which Diana seems to predict the cause of her own death. The book comes out on Monday.
Following the printing of excerpts, Princess Diana's sons, William and Harry, released a statement accusing Burrell of "cold and overt betrayal." They went on to say, "It is not only deeply painful to the two of us, but also for everyone else affected, and it would mortify our mother if she were alive today."
Burrell, who calls the book to -- a tribute to Diana, responded to the princess's statement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL BURRELL, PRINCESS DIANA'S BUTLER: I am saddened at the statement issued on behalf of Prince William and Prince Harry, saddened because I know that this book is nothing more than a tribute to their mother. I am convinced that when the princes and everyone else reads this book in its entirety, they will think differently.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Let's take a closer look now at the controversy over the new book about Princess Diana.
Here to talk about the not-so-fairytale story of the princess are Gerald -- is Gerald Strober and -- Deborah Strober, I'm sorry, the both of you are here.
Thanks so much for being with us.
They are authors of "The Monarchy: An Oral Biography of Elizabeth II."
Thank you once again, to the both of you.
Let me begin with, what is new and different about these letters? Why don't we start with you, Deborah? DEBORAH HART STROBER, CO-AUTHOR, "THE MONARCHY": There's really nothing new about the revelations about the doctor she was in love with. That's been around. What is new is the revelation that, according to Burrell, if he is to be believed, if the letter is indeed authentic, that she was paranoid about the fact that somebody was going to try to kill her, which is ridiculous.
I mean, she might have had one moment of anxiety, but she certainly lived her life in those last 10 months to the fullest. She traveled everywhere, and put herself in danger in places like Angola.
So I don't think she was quaking in fear that somebody was trying to kill her.
COLLINS: Well, then, let me ask you, Gerald, what do you think about the timing of this release?
GERALD STROBER, CO-AUTHOR, "THE MONARCHY": Well, the timing of the release, you have a book coming out, you have the normal feeding frenzy with the British media and the tabloid press, to try to run up the amount of pounds that are going to be paid for serialization of the book.
As Deborah says, there's really nothing new in this. It's kind of a classic instance of, with friends like this, you don't need enemies. It reminds me almost of the old Hollywood movie saw, The butler did it.
COLLINS: So what's everyone so upset about, then, Deborah?
DEBORAH HART STROBER: Well, look, Diana, just her name generates excitement. So this is a controversy, this is her butler, and remember, he was in the news last year. He almost got convicted of possessing stolen goods. And then the royal family came, went to bat for him, and said, no, they knew that he had these letters in his possession.
So, you know, that's why this is especially despicable. He owes the royal family. And to trash the princess's memory and then inflict this harm on her sons is double horrific, I think.
COLLINS: Is it obvious, then, Gerald, that people feel that he not only betrayed the princess, but then also the royal family in this latest move?
GERALD STROBER: Well, you know, he famously said last year that he was the keeper of Princess Diana's secrets. Now, if you're the keeper of the secrets, on the one hand, you may keep them until you go to the grave. Or, on the other hand, you may sell them to the highest bidder.
And I think that's what's happened in this instance. Yes, it is a betrayal, of course. On the other hand, Diana was a very public person, courted the media herself, and wanted attention from around the world.
So it's kind of a tension between Diana's longing for attention and Burrell's longing for pounds.
COLLINS: Well, from what you've seen of these letters, Deborah, let me ask you, do you think that what -- some of the things that were written, are these sort of characterizations of Diana, were they consistent with her personality?
DEBORAH HART STROBER: Well, the one about being troubled and fearful that somebody was trying to kill her, that is just not what -- you know, that doesn't ring true. That troubles me tremendously. She might have had just one night of anxiety, but she certainly was a very public person in those last 10 months of her life.
COLLINS: All right. To the both of you, we certainly appreciate your time this morning. We have with us Gerald and Deborah Strober. Thanks, guys, appreciate it very much.
GERALD STROBER: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
