SHAMELESS former Royal butler Paul Burrell last night denied boasting that he had sex with Diana, Princess of Wales.
Burrell, 50 – dubbed “shabby” by the judge at the inquest into her death earlier this year – was accused of bragging to his brother-in-law that he had a relationship with Diana.
He was said to have made the shock confession to Ron Cosgrove, 61, in 1993.
He allegedly repeated the claims a year later at his wife Maria’s 40th birthday party.
Mr Cosgrove made the accusations in a Sunday newspaper and labelled Burrell “horrible” and “a waster”, and claimed his marriage to his sister was a “sexless sham” and blasted the “gay company” Burrell keeps.
The disgraced butler and his wife denied the allegations last night, although tellingly through separate statements.
LIES: Disgraced royal aide Paul Burrell
Speaking from his home in Florida, Burrell said: “Myself and my wife Maria feel tremendously sad and hurt that he has resorted to such vengeance by way of response.
“Anyone who knows me, who knew the Princess, and who understands the boundaries and decencies of royal service, as well as the integrity and trust which existed within our working relationship at Kensington Palace, will know just how fanciful, distasteful and malicious these claims truly are.”
Maria, backed by her other brother Peter, said: “I am mortified and hugely embarrassed at the claims attributed to my brother Ron Cosgrove, and disassociate myself with everything he is reported to have said.
“It is perhaps no coincidence that these claims surfaced just three weeks after he asked – via a voicemail – for money which we were unwilling to provide.
“I am ashamed that he has seemingly chosen to respond in this desperate way – with a story which is as incredulous as it is untrue.
“My husband was an exceptionally hard-working, diligent employee with impeccable standards of professionalism and duty, and whose integrity in service was never questioned in his years beside the Queen or Diana, Princess of Wales.”
Ron Cosgrove, a furniture dealer, told a tabloid that on a visit to see his family in Cheshire in 1993, Burrell asked if they could speak in private.
The pair went to the Peal of Bells pub in Holt where, Mr Cosgrove said, Mr Burrell made his claim about Diana. He reported: “He clearly had something on his mind.
“Then during the conversation he suddenly tells me he’s been having a sexual relationship with Princess Diana.
MORTIFIED: Maria Burrell
“Paul told me he’d get a call from Diana in the middle of the night specifically to have sex with her.
“I told him if it was true I was disgusted with him because he was married to my sister and cheating on her with another woman. He just replied, ‘Yes, but it is the Princess’.
“It was clear he wanted to get all this off his chest. I’m not sure if it was to be relieved of the secrecy or to brag about it.”
He claimed Burrell later came to him in tears, saying Diana’s demands had eased because she was in love with heart surgeon Dr Hasnat Khan.
Maria has been married to Burrell for 24 years. They have two sons, Alexander, 23, and Nicholas, 19. Mr Cosgrove further claimed: “Maria knew Burrell was bisexual when they married but has remained with him for the sake of their children.
It’s a brother-sister relationship that doesn’t involve sex, which I’m happy about because of the gay company he keeps.”
Last night, he insisted his story was true. He said he would donate his fee to charity “if Paul Burrell agrees to do the same with all the money he has made from exploiting the memory of the Princess of Wales”.
In summing up to the jury at the inquest into Diana’s death in a Paris car crash in 1997, Lord Justice Scott Baker, suggested Mr Burrell’s behaviour had been “shabby”.
After giving evidence in January, he was recorded in a New York hotel admitting he had not told the “whole truth”.
* Paul Burrell was trading on Diana’s name again last Friday when he launched a jewellery range on a US shopping channel, saying: “My range will stay true to Princess Diana. Understated and beautiful.”
BURRELL
22.06.08, 8:49pm
May I remind everyone who has posted on this thread, that the subject of whether Paul Burrell ever had a sexual relationship with the late Diana, Princess of Wales was in fact brought up by his brother-in-law, and not the man himself.
It his his brother-in-law who is the sleazebag in this case.
And furthermore, the accused person has the right to defend hmself/herself from allegations of this nature.
But I see that the usual people are hot to jump in with the condemnation, but not to place the blame where it really belongs.
I'm not sure to beleive anything Burrel says, but she was very close with him. Maybe he was dating a guy very close to her? A gay friend.
Also, truthwitch, you have a similar name as a former member here named graywitch. I know you're not the same person, but I read your profile and I see you are having the same luck.
Graywitch would not care so much about Tomlinson and that is how I know you are two different people. I'm sure though it would be a shame to see government win being they are so tarnished with murderer Tony Blair.
I believe Tony Blair had Princess Diana murdered. She was free publicity and he milked it to make himself look like a hero. She was also an insult to his tyrannical one world government. It so far has failed thanks to Ireland. To Ireland, The World Thanks you on your decision. It was a great day and will be remembered forever. I just hope they can continue keeping their sovereignity.
Burrell's an idiot plain and simple and can only make easy money by making false and ludicrous lies up about Diana.
Anybody who buys this cheap junk he is flogging is as stupid as he is.
They can't bump Paul off, but they can "kill"his name.Look what they did to the driver;Henri-Paul. Richard Tomlinson should be very, very careful.............
Video 
BURRELL
22.06.08, 8:49pm
May I remind everyone who has posted on this thread, that the subject of whether Paul Burrell ever had a sexual relationship with the late Diana, Princess of Wales was in fact brought up by his brother-in-law, and not the man himself.
It his his brother-in-law who is the sleazebag in this case.
And furthermore, the accused person has the right to defend hmself/herself from allegations of this nature.
But I see that the usual people are hot to jump in with the condemnation, but not to place the blame where it really belongs.
• Posted by: JennieM • Report Comment
BURRLES NEW RED HERRING
19.06.08, 3:12am
I'm not sure to beleive anything Burrel says, but she was very close with him. Maybe he was dating a guy very close to her? A gay friend.
Also, truthwitch, you have a similar name as a former member here named graywitch. I know you're not the same person, but I read your profile and I see you are having the same luck.
Graywitch would not care so much about Tomlinson and that is how I know you are two different people. I'm sure though it would be a shame to see government win being they are so tarnished with murderer Tony Blair.
I believe Tony Blair had Princess Diana murdered. She was free publicity and he milked it to make himself look like a hero. She was also an insult to his tyrannical one world government. It so far has failed thanks to Ireland. To Ireland, The World Thanks you on your decision. It was a great day and will be remembered forever. I just hope they can continue keeping their sovereignity.
• Posted by: nefertitus • Report Comment
ANOTHER IDIOT!
17.06.08, 7:28am
Burrell's an idiot plain and simple and can only make easy money by making false and ludicrous lies up about Diana.
Anybody who buys this cheap junk he is flogging is as stupid as he is.
• Posted by: Brown_U_Idiot • Report Comment
SOMETHING SMELLS FISHY.....
17.06.08, 2:43am
They can't bump Paul off, but they can "kill"his name.Look what they did to the driver;Henri-Paul. Richard Tomlinson should be very, very careful.............
• Posted by: truthwitch • Report Comment
THE MAN IS A USER
16.06.08, 7:40pm
He is using Diana's name to gain for himself, william and harry should put a stop to it,
and before he does have that nasty accident,
HRH DIANA THE PRINCESS OF WALES
THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN.
• Posted by: jessica • Report Comment
BURRELL
16.06.08, 7:33pm
Why does anyone listen to or give publicity to this stupid tit? He should shut up and crawl back under his stone.
• Posted by: KatieW • Report Comment
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