Princess Diana's Former Confidant Says Prince Harry Forgot His Mother's Rule About Living a Celebrity Lifestyle
Find out the one rule Princess Diana had for her sons about the price of living such a privileged lifestyle.
Royal family
One of Princess Diana's former employees is sharing what she always used to tell the Duke of Sussex about his privileged lifestyle that he's been ignoring.
by Michelle Kapusta
Published on January 30, 2025
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are the subject of a Vanity Fair feature which took a deep dive into their lives during the five years since theyâve left the royal family.
The publication spoke to dozens of people who know and work or have worked with the Sussexes. Many of them called out the duchess for being an âawfulâ boss and claimed theyâneeded therapyâ after dealing with her. In addition, some of the coupleâs neighbors in Montecito arenât their fans and have labeled the non-working royals as âlocal villains.â
Now someone who worked for the late Queen Elizabeth II and Harryâs parents says the duke has forgotten one of his motherâs most important rules since moving to the other side of the pond and that seems to have contributed to the Sussexesâ downfall.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry leave after a service of thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth II at St. Paulâs Cathedral in London | Matt Dunham â WPA Pool/Getty Images
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 the household of then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana. When they separated, Burrell served as Dianaâs butler and became one of her closest confidants. He looked after her and her sons until the princessâs tragic death in 1997.
According to Burrell, thereâs no reason not to believe whatâs printed in the Vanity Fair piece titled âInside Prince Harry and Meghan Markleâs Big Business Ambitions, 5 Years After Their Royal Exit.â And he recalled how even as a child Harry was âdifficult.â
Speaking on behalf of Prime Casino, Burrell explained: âVanity Fair is a prestigious title so to print such a damning article about Harry and Meghan is quite a precedent. Theyâre confirming what everybody else suspects and theyâre listening to the people who are in the know, and, and donât speculate. I take this article as pretty factual.
âIâve never met Meghan myself, but how can so many other people be wrong? Itâs not possible. I know from firsthand experience how difficult Harry can be. I know how petulant he can be and how spoiled he is because Iâve experienced that myself. Heâs always lived in a bubble.â
Princess Diana and Prince Harry photographed on the day Prince William joined Eton (circa 1995) | Anwar Hussein/WireImage
Burrell added that Harry either forgot or is just totally ignoring what Princess Diana told him about the price of living such a privileged life as his decision to turn his back on royal life went against his motherâs teachings.Â
âHarry and Meghan have a very privileged lifestyle,â Burrell said. âHarry has always had that and Meghan has long aspired for it. But now they share that lifestyle. I always circle back to the fact that Harryâs mother taught him long ago that the price for a privileged lifestyle is public service. Harry seems to have forgotten this lesson now he lives a celebrity Hollywood lifestyle thatâs totally different from his royal one.â