Burrell digs himself further into controversy

Content within Paul Burrell's latest book about Diana, Princess of Wales has deeply upset one of the Princess's closest friends, Rosa Monckton. Burrell wrote of a private burial held in the garden at Kensington Palace of Rosa's stillborn child. Mrs. Monckton was unaware that Burrell had included this sad event in his book 'The Way We Were' until she was contacted for comment by ABC News' London bureau for comment.

A shocked and aghast Monckton replied, "I'm utterly appalled, I'm so angry." She went on to say that Burrell was "unbelievable" and that she couldn't speak anymore, "I will just burst into tears, I do not want to speak about this further."

The obvious distress he's caused Rosa Monckton will do nothing to gain back the public support he's been losing since publishing his first book about Diana 3 years ago and spending the intervening years plugging his royal connection for all its worth.

Appearing on ITV1's chat show 'This Morning' Paul Burrell was confronted by the normally friendly host Phillip Schofield for cashing in on Diana's memory. "It would appear," Schofield said, "that you were her rock, but now she's your pension.

"Last time you came on you signed my book and said: 'Thank you for being nice to me.' But this time I'm finding it much harder to be nice to you. You said you are the only spokesperson for Diana because the princes don't speak out for their mother, but you know they don't do that.

"You're using the money from the books about Diana to pay for your pension. It's ostentatious."

Burrell struggled to explain himself saying, "I'm still in that corner waving my flag. Who else is? The royal family isn't, her ex-husband isn't . . . and sadly, her children aren't."

Schofield saw this as a "cynical dig" at the Princes although Burrell has insisted that his comments were not an attack on the Princes, saying, "I didn't say anything bad about William and Harry. I wouldn't do that. I have two boys of my own."

But I have to wonder if Burrell even thinks Prince William and Harry are capable of knowing more about their own mother than he himself with his comment, "They [Harry and William] were at school for a great deal of the time. They were in a childhood world, not her adult world. They are grown men now, grown men in an adult world, and I hope they understand more about their mother's world from a person who cared about her."

After the show a number of viewers called in to criticize Burrell's actions.

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