Paul BurrellBesprekingen

Interesting if gossipy.
Not sure why the bulter and author feigns surprise at the response of Diana's sons. He is very disingenuous in pretending anyone put them up to asking him to not publish. How devastating for them. At the same time, they pay their employees appalling little for basically round the clock labor. Not sure why 'the firm' thinks it's such an honor to pick up their stanky drawls. Loyalty is best expected on a competitive salary🤷‍♀️

This was a little more interesting that I thought it would be. Still pretty much one guy's attempt to counter his bad press. It did include some interesting inside info on the interworkings of the British royal family and their households.

Nice historical information on the dishes for recipes included in the book, as well as the palaces.
I thought this was a book for hosting tea parties, but it's a book on etiquette for hosting many differnt types of parties.
There were a few recipes of foods I thought were worth trying. Other's seems a bit time consuming.
The book did make me want an estate manager, i.e. butler!

A través de recuerdos personales, conversaciones íntimas, fragmentos de diarios y cartas en las que Diana revela su temor a ser asesinada en un falso accidente sobre la monarquía y sobre la azarosa vida y trágica muerte de una de las figuras más carismáticas de nuestro tiempo.

The book is mainly Burell's autobiography. It is slow, full of uninteresting bits about the royal family and where they live and what they do... It made me dislike them all the more. It was a disappointing book, and so far many of us in the book club gave up on this book.

Interesting personal daily life details told from butler/friend perspective. No big secrets revealed.

The butler for Diana, the Princess of Wales, tells an eye-opening story about how he came to work for the Queen and the Prince and Princess of Wales. He tells also about how he was accused of stealing possessions after Diana's death but was exonerated by the Queen in the end. Paul remained true to Diana in making sure that her legacy would live as she really was and not as some wished. Excellent book

I thought this was an amazing book and must definately get myself a copy sometime!! I loved it! It was really cool to learn about how the etiqutte works in Buckingham Palace and all the little personal facts about the Queen, her mother, and Diana. And it was very hard not to cry when reading about her death. I remember the day I heard about her death, what I was doing and everything even though I was like 13 at the time! He did seem a bit obsessive though...it was a wonder his wife didn't accuse him of an affair! But Burrell does make butlers seem cool! He was obviously very dedicated to what he did,but he just seemed obsessed.

I read this book after years of not wanting to. I put it off because I didn't know how truthful it would be. My timing of reading it and the Royal wedding was bittersweet, as it made me sad that Diana wasn't there to see William get married.
However, I did enjoy the book very much. I think Burrell was candid and truthful in many ways. I liked the background information of his life before starting his career with the Queen. I didn't know he worked for the Queen, or that his wife worked for the Duke of Edinburgh before they moved to the Prince and Princess of Wales' staff.
I found his stories of the time with the Queen extremely interesting, especially her feeding the corgis herself.
Overall, I felt very sorry for Burrell and his utter devotion for Diana, the Princess of Wales, which left a large gap in his life when she died, that even his wife and sons didn't seem to fill. I wasn't surprised to hear that he has since divorced his wife. That is rather tragic.
I think he was lost after the princess’s death and the subsequent court case shattered him and his world, which is understandable.

If you like learning about royal life behind closed doors, then this is a good book to read.

This book proves my thoughts that Diana was a very down to earth, generous and often lonely person. I look forward to the time that William is king, as I believe Diana taught him through her actions how to be humble, giving and champion of the downtrodden. If you are intersted in the Royal Family parts of this book are revealing.½

I was in two minds whether to buy this book or not but I felt it only fair to read what the author had written and I am so glad that I did. I am sure that Paul Burrell has written an honest account of his life with the Princess and I also feel that Diana herself would have approved of the book and the way in which it is written. The author obviously only ever had the Princess's well-being at heart and I don't think he would ever have done anything to hurt her or her memory.

Back Cover Blurb:
The untold story behind one the most sensational chapters in the history of the House of Windsor. Paul Burrell fought to clear his name. Now he reveals startling new truths about Diana, Princess of Wales - and presents for the first time as faithful an account of her thoughts as we can ever hope to read.
He was the favourite footman who formed a unique relationship with the Queen. He was the butler whom the Princess of Wales called 'my rock' and 'the only man I can trust'. He was accused of theft, then acquitted following the historic intervention of the monarch. He was the Princess's most intimate confidant - and is the only person able to seperate the myth from the truth of the Diana years.
Now, at last, Paul Burrell cuts through the gossip and the lies and takes us closer to the complex heart of the Royal Family than ever before.
It's the story of how a boy from a coal-mining village came to swap terraced streets for gilded palaces. It's a story of shocking secrets, absolute power and unlikely alliances, told through firsthand insights and astounding material, including previously unseen letters and photographs. It's a story that will rewrite history and stand alone as the archive of Diana's time as a royal. It is a moving tribute from a faithful subject to the two remarkable women he served.

He was one of the last servants attending Diana. However, before working for the Princess he worked directly for the Queen. The earlier section devoted to Her Majesty are the most interesting, revealing little tidbits of personal observation. One of the most amusing is her wearing the crown she would wear for a state occasion in a dressing gown, performing routine paperwork, getting used to its weight.

I had to get this book it has a recipe mini Scotch eggs and Punch jelly, which is an extremely alcoholic jelly made of rum and brandy. It has a section on planning parties, including information on plates, silverware, glassware and even directions on how to fold two different kinds of napkins, and as the title suggests - manners.

It is arranged by season, and even has a small wedding section. It has little tidbits of information sprinkled throughout, history of the dishes, traditions and even some about Princess Diana and the royal family. It has some cute recipes for children like spooky jacket potatoes, which are basically twice baked potatoes with black olive decorations making them look like ghosts. Besides the mini Scotch eggs there is also mini Cornish pasties . Each section also has a table arrangement, usually flowers with directions as to how you can re-create them for your table.

He can set a table elegantly and shows you how in his book. You can find this information in many other books. Mr. Burrell was just capitolizing on his connection with Princess Diana. There are a few tidbits about life in her employ but in lieu of his current revelations you do have to wonder just how much of a rock in her life he was.