Diana's former butler blasted for flower shop closure

Aug 4, 2006, 17:12 GMT

The former butler of Britain's Princess Diana has closed down his flower shop for a month - to go on holiday.

Paul Burrell, who the late princess famously described as her 'rock', owns a florist in the village of Holt, North Wales, but has shut up shop until the end of August.

The former royal servant, who also worked for Queen Elizabeth, has gone away for a break with his family leaving his regular customers without flowers for the next few weeks.

A source told Britain's Daily Express newspaper: 'It's certainly raised eyebrows that Paul has shut up shop like this. We all know he is in demand both over here and in America, where he also has his holiday home in Florida, but you'd think he would have been able to pay for staff to keep the shop running. Its not exactly showing much gratitude to his loyal customers.'

Rumours are rife Burrell is planning to sell the shop because he can make more money from his association with Diana.

The source added: 'You can't help but wondering whether he feels he can afford to do without the shop, now he's making so much money out of his stories about Diana.'

Since the princess tragically died in a Paris car crash in 1997, Burrell has cashed in on his friendship and working relationship with her.

He released a revealing book, 'A Royal Duty', in which he wrote about his life with the princess.

Many of the claims - which included stories suggesting Diana used to make him drive her around London's red light district and embarrass him by speaking to prostitutes - infuriated Diana's ex-husband Prince Charles and her sons Princes William and Harry.

Copyright 2006 BANG Media International