Former Royal butler Paul Burrell reveals there was one strict rule that palace staff were forbidden from breaking when serving Queen Elizabeth II. Burrell, 67, commenced his career as a footman at Buckingham Palace at the tender age of 18.
Twelve months later, he was promoted to serve as one of the Queen’s personal footmen – responsible for duties including table service and attending to Royal coaches. He subsequently transferred to work alongside the then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire.
The devoted butler continued serving the Princess until her tragic death in 1997. He previously revealed she once described him as the “only man she ever trusted”.
Now Paul, who dedicated a decade to serving the Queen, has disclosed the one thing palace staff were instructed to “never” do whilst in her presence.
The revelation appears in his latest publication, The Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King and Princess Diana.
Paul penned: “I had progressed beyond empty cups to potatoes and gravy. We were always told never to look at the Queen or to stare at her: never look her in the eye, always look down.”
Despite Paul’s eventual rise through the palace hierarchy whilst serving the Queen, he confesses he felt “nervous” during their initial encounter.
He recalls that pivotal first moment when he spotted her, whilst carrying a silver tray laden with 20 Royal Worcester coffee cups, saucers, and gilt spoons. He describes entering the dining room and observing the Queen in conversation with the Queen Mother and Charles.
Approximately 30 members of the Royal Family were present at the gathering. Paul recalls beginning to feel anxious as he stepped into the room.
He continues: “Then my nerves got the better of me and the cups and saucers all started to rattle.
“I will never forget the noise. All I had to do was stand behind the Queen and the pages would come to me and collect the cups.”
Paul explains the rattling was “so loud” that the Queen turned around to “look at what the commotion was”. The Queen simply smiled back, marking Paul’s introduction to the monarch.
And while their first meeting might not have gone how the former butler planned, Paul believes the Queen “got to know his face” along with the other footmen who waited on her at “meet the people” lunches in the 1844 room.
Following Diana’s tragic death in 1997, Paul’s career shifted towards authoring books.
He has since published several volumes examining his time at Buckingham Palace, Highgrove House, and subsequently Kensington Palace.
His 2003 autobiography, A Royal Duty, resulted in a rift with Prince William and Prince Harry. They allegedly branded the publication a “cold and overt betrayal” to their mother.
His newest book, The Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King and Princess Diana, was published last week.