King Charles' Sad Response to Princess Diana's 'Romantic' Valentine's Day Gifts
Here's why Princess Diana's former butler claimed King Charles ignored her "romantic" gifts and gestures on Valentine's Day.
Royal family
Find out what a former palace employee is sharing about Princess Diana and then-Prince Charles' Valentine's Days together.
by Michelle Kapusta
Published on February 14, 2025
Valentineâs Day is a day for love and a holiday celebrated in several countries around the world. But during Princess Dianaâs marriage to then-Prince Charles, it wasnât the most romantic day.
Now, someone who used to work for the royals says thatâs because now-King Charles âdidnât have a romantic bone in his body.â
Paul Burrell began working in the royal household when he was 18 years old and served as Queen Elizabeth IIâs personal footman. In 1987, he was moved to Charles and Dianaâs household. When they separated, Burrell remained on staff and served as the princessâs butler until her tragic death in 1997.
Then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana arriving at Sandringham for a photocall | Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images
He shared that when he worked for the royal family they never celebrated the day, although Diana tried.
Speaking on behalf of Prime Casino Burrell explained: âIt was never a day for the royal family, it was more a day for the people. Itâs like birthdays and Christmas. The royals never send cards to each other, which I could never understand. I mean the staff get birthday cards, the royals just donât send birthday cards to each other. It must be a German tradition or something that is passed down, like opening your presents on Christmas Eve which is another tradition of theirs.â
However, Burrell said that Diana was a âromanticâ and did give her husband a card each year but he never gave her anything.
âDiana was a girl of her time, and she was such a romantic,â the former royal butler said. âShe did send romantic cards to Charles. She was very much in love with him. Itâs such a sad thing to say that he never loved her and so he never returned the compliment. He wasnât romantic. He tried to be, but he didnât have a romantic bone in his body.â
King Charles III and Queen Camilla smile during a visit to a beach in Apia, Samoa | Chris Jackson/Getty Images
According to Burrell, the monarch made up for his lack of romance when he married Queen Camilla (formerly known as Camilla Parker Bowles) in 2005.
âIt is astonishing to think that Charles and Camillaâs wedding anniversary is 20 years this year,â he noted. âCharles made up for his lack of romance with Camilla. Heâs been married to Camilla longer than he was married to Diana. That is astonishing.
âThereâs more public record of his life with Diana than there is with Camilla. That tells you something. And Iâm thinking to myself, wow, what did you do in the 20 years married to Camilla? I canât think of anything. But what did he do in his short marriage with Diana? A lot. Thereâs more public record of his life with Diana than there is with Camilla. That tells you something.â