Prince Harry Would've Never 'Gone Wrong' and Married Meghan If Diana Were Alive, Says Ex-Butler
Prince William and Prince Harry, once inseparable, reportedly have not been on talking terms for over 2 years. And in the eyes of some who knew Princess Diana well, the story might have been very different had she still been alive. Paul Burrell, Diana’s former butler, has made no secret of his belief that Harry’s life choices, including his marriage to Meghan Markle, would have looked very different under the late Princess’s watchful eye. In a recent interview with The Mirror, Burrell suggested that Diana would have steered Harry onto another path.
Burrell, who he calls the Sussexes 'Ginge and Whinge,' stressed, "Would Diana have been disappointed by Harry's behavior in the last few years? Yes, she would have,” alluding to the Duke’s strained relationship with the royal family. “He's not what Diana would have thought he would have been. Diana's wish was for Harry to support William throughout his journey to become monarch. But William's on his own now, and he’s resigned to that. To him, his brother can’t be trusted.”
Burrell recalled the pain Harry carried after Diana’s tragic death in 1997. “Harry was awfully hurt when his mother died — I know, I was there. He ran into my arms when he returned from the funeral,” he shared. “But there's something about Harry which has gone wrong. Yet William hasn't gone wrong. And he lost his mother, too."
The royal aide argued that while Harry’s push for independence might have made sense in theory, the way it has played out has been disorienting, even to those who knew him best. “I just don’t understand all this petulance and entitlement — these are new things that have come his way. And I don't know who sowed those seeds, because they were never there as a child,” Burrell continued. “So, where is that lovely, jokey boy now? He grew up into someone different, almost unrecognizable. He used to be kind, generous, warm-hearted, and carefree.”
For many, the bitterness between the brothers feels particularly tragic because of how close they once were. Diana herself had often emphasized their bond, reminding them that Harry’s role was to support William in the 'lonely task' of being King one day. That’s why some observers believe her presence could have been a stabilizing force, one capable of pulling the family back together. “We all remember the days when Harry and William were joshing with one another, and it all seemed set for their relationship and the future, that Harry, as Diana always used to say, would be William’s wingman,” royal biographer Andrew Morton also echoed. “It’s a great loss for the monarchy.”
Morton added that Diana would never have allowed the rift to fester. “Diana always used to say she had two boys for a reason, the younger would be there to support the older in the lonely task as future King,” he said. Harry and Markle, for their part, have long argued that their departure from royal duties was born out of necessity. They have spoken openly about feeling unprotected within the institution, often pointing to the Palace’s complicated ties with the media. “There’s leaking, but there’s also planting of stories,” Harry revealed in 2022.