Princess Diana's Desire to 'Please' King Charles Came at a 'Cost,' Former Butler Claimsoriginally appeared onParade. Although raised in an aristocratic family,Princess Dianawas ill-prepared for the quirks of royal life. Her former butler claimed this lack of preparation contributed to deep personal unhappiness, particularly when summering at the royal family's Scottish getaway, Balmoral Estate. He revealed that Diana's desire to "please" then-Prince Charlescame at a significant "cost," adding that she found it "very hard" to truly fit in with the royal establishment at their beloved home. Diana's former butler,Paul Burrell, toldMarie Claireon behalf ofCasino.orgthat the late Princess of Wales found it challenging to spend summers at the royal retreat. The inherent differences between her beliefs and those of the royal family made the warm weather escape difficult for the royal family member. "Diana tried to please Charles, so her times at Balmoral were to please him," Burrell, reveals. "She wanted to fit in, she wanted to be loved, she wanted to be accepted, and that was all part of that acceptance." Burrell added that "The royals, they're a very difficult lot at times, and they're all individual personalities, all huge egos, all bouncing around in the same place." He said that Diana tried to find her place at the royal retreat, but "realized that that place was so full of ghosts from the past that she could never fit in as a modern woman in that archaic world." Parade Daily🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 Diana reportedly didn't understand why the royals didn't change their traditions to reflect modern times. "She was suddenly living in a Victorian court, and Diana wanted to live in the real world. She wanted to come down for dinner in jeans," Burrell claimed. Parade Daily🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 The former royal butler added that oftentimes, Diana believed the royals never evolved from the habits and practices of hundreds of years prior. "Diana considered Balmoral to be stuck in the past, in a world that didn't exist anymore, and she wasn't that person," he explained. Burrell claims that rigid routines remain at the family's Scottish getaway. "Breakfast is at nine o'clock. If you're down at 10, you've missed it. Lunch is at 1 o'clock, you've got to be there. Tea is at five o'clock. You had to be there for a cup of tea. Dinner is at 8:15. Woe betide if you come downstairs dressed in the wrong thing, at the wrong time, for the wrong event; it's very, very formal." The getaway is also known for putting guests through its infamous "Balmoral Test." AsAndrew Mortonwrote inPrincess Diana: Her Story in Her Own Words, "The very quirks and obscure family traditions which have accrued over the years can intimidate newcomers." "Those who successfully navigate the social minefield, popularly known as the Balmoral Test, are accepted by the royal family. The ones who fail vanish from royal favor as quickly as the Highland mists come and go," Morton explained, perOprah Daily. Diana was married to Charles from 1981 through 1996 and is the mother ofPrince WilliamandPrince Harry. She died in a car accident in Paris, France, in August 1997. Princess Diana's Desire to 'Please' King Charles Came at a 'Cost,' Former Butler Claimsfirst appeared on Parade on Jul 19, 2025 This story was originally reported byParadeon Jul 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
