Former royal butler comes out as gay after divorcing his wife of 32 years and reveals Princess Diana was the only woman he ever told

Tuesday, 7 March 2017

Paul Burrell, 58, who was formerly Princess Diana's Butler has come out as gay and has revealed that he will marry his lawyer boyfriend, Graham Cooper, 58, just 9 months after divorcing his wife of 32 years, Maria, 62.

Burrell is a father to two grown sons, Alexander, 27, and Nicholas, 24, and they will both be present for their father's wedding holding next month in the Lake District.

A source close to Burrell revealed that the only person he ever told of his sexuality was the late Princess Diana whom he served for 10 years.

Burrell reportedly had a very close relationship with Diana and was her 'rock'. Old photos show both of them together at several times during the Royal's life, so it is understandable that she was the only one he felt comfortable to open up to about his sexuality. His sons only just found out recently. 

Burrell and Cooper live together, but the former butler turned florist has always stayed away from discussing his sexuality despite a 2002 expose where an Australian man claimed they had had a relationship before he married his wife Maria. Paul met Maria Burrell while they were both working at Buckingham Palace, with Maria serving as the Duke of Edinburgh's maid. They got married in 1984.

A source told The Sun; 'Paul's friends and family all know but for a long time he kept it a closely guarded secret. He did share it with Diana while he worked with her because they were so close. But at the time she was the only woman he felt he could tell."

Maria now lives in Florida while Burrell stays in Cheshire.