A Royal Duty: The poignant and remarkable untold story of the Princess of Wales

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I have always admired the work she does for her country, so it was lovely to have a little glance at her private life.

Anyway, I'm not entirely sure why the Royal family were so critical of this book as it mostly portrays them in a favourable light. In A Royal Duty, Paul Burrell reveals new truths about Princess Diana - and presents for the first time as faithful an account of her thoughts as we can ever hope to read. Earlier books - including one by Diana's secretary, Patrick Jephson, another by her policeman, Ken Wharfe, and the two contributions from her lover, James Hewitt - have explored the boyfriend theme in lubricious detail. Catherine Bennett finds the Windsors' treatment of their domestic staff appalling in Paul Burrell's memoir, A Royal Duty, and Rebecca Tyrrel's portrait of Camilla Parker-Bowles.At once, it confirmed both the person I thought the princess was and the person I thought Charles was during this time. Having known personally almost every member of the current British Royal family, his credible insight is much sought after. It is the first book about anyone in this family I have read that seems neither sanctioned nor scathing. Leave aside the last hobby, factor in the unabashed lushery, the TS Eliot baiting and the love of jewels and parties, and you realise that, in Camilla, Charles has found a reincarnation of the late Queen Mother. I think the emotional dependence on both Paul's and Diana's side was way too big and that was the problem.

This book was a London and New York Times number 1 best seller and sold in excess of 3 million copies worldwide. My interest is less about the tabloid gossip and palace intrigue, and more about the traditions, duties, and the nuts and bolts of an institution that's been around for 1000 years. Drawing on private conversations, personal recollections, diaries and letters, Paul has written an extraordinary account of a unique time in the history of the Royal Family.He made himself her keeper, and when she died, he could not bare not having someone need him in the way Diana did. As for the drama, Burrell is fairly discreet when it comes to unflattering behavior of the royal family, and claims great support for the individuals and the institution. He talks about "someone special" in Diana's life and then says he won't disclose that person's name.