In a stunning turn of events, Princess Diana's butler Paul Burrell has been acquitted on all charges. On Friday, trial judge Mrs Justice Rafferty announced that the former royal employee had been formally found not guilty of theft and discharged the jury.
The trial, which had been in its third week, came to a dramatic end after it emerged that Mr Burrell had spoken to the Queen about the Princess' belongings in a "private meeting" after Diana's 1997 death.
"On Monday this week the prosecution was informed by the police that during a private meeting with the Queen in the weeks following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, Mr Burrell had mentioned to the Queen that he had taken some of the Princess's papers for safe-keeping," prosecutor William Boyce QC revealed. "No response was sought by Mr Burrell from the Queen and Her Majesty made no comment."
A statement from Buckingham Palace said: "The decision to drop the case against Mr Burrell was entirely a decision for the prosecution. As a prosecution statement to the court made clear this morning, the Queen was not briefed on either Mr Burrell's defence case or on the prosecution case against him. The prosecution did not ask the Queen at any stage for details about her meeting with Mr Burrell."
Mr Burrell's solicitor Andrew Shaw said on his behalf : "He is happy and relieved to be acquitted on all the charges after the terrible ordeal of the last 21 months."
As he left the courtroom in a visibly emotional state, Mr Burrell said: "I am thrilled. I am thrilled… The Queen has come through for me."
Mr Shaw later commented: "Mr Burrell remains totally loyal to Diana, Princess of Wales, and the Queen, who he served in a personal capacity for ten years… It is to his utmost credit and dignity that it was only this week that he instructed his lawyers as to the full terms of the conversation. These terms were confirmed by the Queen this morning."
Photo: © Alphapress.com
