Tell me more about Paul Burrell

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A. Burrell was butler and trusted confidant of Diana, Princess of Wales. She called him her 'rock'. Burrell, 43, worked for Diana for 10 years, and was one of her closest confidants. As well as serving her meals, he kept her social diary and was her personal driver. After the princess's death in a car crash on 31 August 1997, he helped prepare her body for burial, and he was the only person outside her immediate family to attend the burial at her family's Northamptonshire estate. Soon afterward, the Queen awarded him the Royal Victorian Medal for his services to the Royal Family.< xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

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Q.� But now...

A.� ... he has been charged with three counts of stealing items from the princess, Prince Charles and Prince William. The charges relate to 342 items alleged to have been stolen at Kensington Palace on or before 30 June 1998.

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Q.� How did he get the job

A.� Burrell joined the palace staff in 1976 as a trainee footman after completing a college course in hotel management. Within a year he was

made personal footman to the Queen. In 1986 he and his wife Maria, a former maid to Prince Philip, were given jobs as butler and maid at Charles's country home at Highgrove in Gloucester. After Charles and Diana's separation in 1992, Burrell went with Diana to Kensington Palace and was regularly seen with her at royal engagements.

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Q.� And since her death

A.� Burrell became chief fundraiser of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund until the end of 1998, when he was told that since the charity no was longer actively raising money, the position wasn't necessary. He now describes his job as a writer.

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Q.� What are the items

A.� Many and varied. Police claim they could be valued at up to �5 million. Among the items Burrell is accused of stealing from the Prince is an Indiana Jones bullwhip, believed to be from the Harrison Ford film. From William he is accused of stealing 13 cards or letters 'from Mummy' and several from other people, plus three framed pictures showing the prince with supermodels Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer.

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Q.� And from Diana

A.� Clothes, photograph negatives, letters, handbags, ornaments, jewellery, CDs, underwear and a Biblical text.

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Q.� Letters

A.� From the Princess to John Major, from Mother Teresa and from Prince Charles.

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Q.� Interesting handbags

A.� Handbags galore, including Versace and Chanel. Police noted that one contained 'plastic lighter and sweets', 'Boots receipt' or 'chewing gum and 2p piece'.

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Q. �And what about the CDs

A.� Probably the most interesting of the allegations. It shows Diana's taste was rather ... er ... middle-of the-road. Music includes The Classic Experience; Michael Jackson's Bad; Les Miserables; The World of Your Hundred Best Tunes; Neil Diamond's Jonathon Livingston Seagull; The War of the Worlds by Jeff Wayne; and A Groovy Kind of by Love by Phil Collins. Most of them were signed Diana.

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Q.� What does Burrell say

A.� A statement from his solicitor said: 'Paul Burrell denies absolutely the charges that have been preferred against him. He is rightly perceived to be a man of integrity and trusted by the Royal Family. He says that their trust is justified.'

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By Steve Cunningham

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