King Charles was once reportedly left drenched in “salad dressing” following an argument with Princess Diana, according to her former butler Paul Burrell.
The now monarch and his late ex-wife were together for 11 years before their separation in 1992, and while much of their strained relationship played out in public, claims continue to emerge about what allegedly happened behind palace doors.
Charles ‘covered in salad dressing’ after Diana clash
Former royal butler and close confidante to Diana, Paul Burrell, has made the claims in his new book.
Now 67, Paul worked for the late Princess of Wales for a decade, serving her from 1987 until her death in 1997. During that time, he says he witnessed a number of explosive arguments between Diana and her then-husband.
One particular evening has clearly stayed with him.
According to Paul, he had earlier helped arrange what was meant to be a romantic candlelit dinner for the couple. But things did not go to plan.
Speaking to Fox News Digital, he recalled: “One evening, he rang the bell, and I went through after hearing this almighty row from the other side of the door, knowing I shouldn’t intrude until it went quiet.”
‘Almighty row’ left table overturned
Describing what he says he saw next, Paul continued: “The dinner table was upside down, broken china everywhere, food everywhere. And he was covered in salad dressing.”
He claimed Charles looked at him sheepishly and said: “Oh, I’m terribly sorry. I seemed to have caught my sleeve on the edge of the table, and everything just tipped up.”
“‘Of course.’ He knew, and I knew the real reason was that there’d been an almighty row and Diana had fled upstairs in tears,” Paul alleged.
He went on to insist it was not an isolated incident. “Of course, they would argue, and I was there. I stood there and watched them shouting and screaming, and I cleaned up the messes. I brushed up the broken china,” he said.
King ‘not a conciliatory man’ during marriage
Paul also claimed that during his marriage to Diana, the king was not a “conciliatory man”.
He said he witnessed “many” confrontations behind closed doors, adding that some were allegedly “more than a shouting match”.
According to Paul, “plates were smashed, tempers raised and even tables overturned” during some of the couple’s most heated exchanges.
However, he maintained that after losing his temper, Charles would be “contrite and apologetic” before retreating to Highgrove House.
At weekends, Diana would travel to Highgrove with Prince William and Prince Harry in an effort to present a united family front. But as Paul suggested, it was not always the picture of domestic harmony.
Buckingham Palace has been contacted for comment.
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