In the aftermath of the surprising dismissal of the Paul Burrell court case last week, it has been revealed that the Prince of Wales attempted to resolve the trial of his ex-wife's former butler out of court.
British newspaper the Daily Mail reports the Prince asked his staff to set up meetings with Burrell in the weeks before the trial began, but was told his aides could be prosecuted for intervening. One courtier who was attempting to work out an amicable settlement was warned he could be accused of perverting the course of justice, a serious criminal offence. Who exactly informed the staff member of the danger remains unclear, according to the newspaper.
"Prince Charles never wanted this trial to happen and made it clear throughout the investigation that he felt uneasy about it," a senior royal source is quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, Burrell, who was acquitted of charges of stealing more than 300 items from the late Princess Diana's estate, has reportedly signed a six-figure deal to sell his story in the Daily Mirror. He is also slated to pick up six figures for his first TV interview, to be held on ITV1's Tonight With Trevor McDonald this Sunday.
"I do want to come out and tell what happened to me," says Burrell. "I've got a great story to tell."
As questions emerge about what will happen to the hundreds of exhibits from the trial, including some items from the late Princess' wardrobe and her personal letters, Charles is far from the eye of the storm. The Prince has continued with his royal duties, and is currently on an official tour of Italy.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
