Paul Burrell
| Paul Burrell | |
|---|---|
| Born |
6 June 1958 Grassmoor, Derbyshire, England, United Kingdom |
| Occupation | Member of the British Royal Household, writer, media personality |
| Spouse(s) | Maria Cosgrove (m. 1983–2016) |
| Partner(s) | Graham Cooper |
| Children | Alexander Burrell Nicholas Burrell |
| Website | paulburrellrvm.com |
Paul Burrell, RVM (born 6 June 1958) is a former servant of the British Royal Household. He was a footman for Queen Elizabeth II and later butler to Diana, Princess of Wales. Since her death in 1997, Burrell has featured in the media, sometimes prominently, in connection with her, and since 2004 as an occasional entertainment show celebrity.
Burrell was awarded the Royal Victorian Medal in November 1997 for services to the Royal Family.
Burrell grew up in Grassmoor, Derbyshire, a coal-mining community in England's Midlands. His father was a lorry driver and it was initially assumed that Burrell would go to work in the local colliery, but had decided aged eight years that he wanted to work at Buckingham Palace after a trip to London with his family, where he witnessed the Changing of the Guard. He attended William Rhodes Secondary School in Chesterfield and left, aged 16, with six O-Levels before attending High Peak College in Buxton where he studied hotel management.
Burrell entered Royal Service at age 18, as a Buckingham Palace footman, becoming the Queen's personal footman a year later. He was nicknamed "Small Paul", to distinguish him from a taller footman, who was known as "Tall Paul" According to his autobiography, he had received a simultaneous job offer from cruise line Cunard but his mother had burned it because "He'll chuff off on that boat and we'll never see him again". In 1987 Burrell joined the household of heir to the throne Charles and Diana at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, where he acted as butler to the princess until her death in August 1997. He was awarded the Royal Victorian Medal in November 1997 for services to the Royal Family.
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