Diana's butler cashes in

Sep 5, 2006, 15:12 GMT

The former butler of Britain's Princess Diana has been accused of destroying her reputation.

Paul Burrell - once described by Diana as her "rock" - is about to release a new book of revelations about the princess, entitled 'The Way We Were'.

Angry friends of the late royal insist he is "cashing in on her name" again.

Mohammed Al Fayed - the father of Diana's lover Dodi - told Britain's Daily Express newspaper: "He is just cashing in with absolute garbage - that man is part of a campaign against me and against everyone who loved Diana."

In his book, Burrell claims Diana was only using Dodi to make heart surgeon Dr Hasnat Khan jealous.

He also alleged the ring Dodi gave Diana two days before they died was a "friendship ring" not, as it has previously been suggested, an engagement band.

For the past nine years, Burrell denied the ring ever existed, but now he insists he kept quiet about the £3,000 Bulgari band to "stop speculation that the princess had become engaged".

Diamond merchant Alex Mieschen said: "I do understand that £3,000 is a large sum of money, but I don't think it is possible that anyone could confuse a very nice Bulgari dress ring, selling for £3,000, with an engagement ring. Especially from a wealthy man, and given to the most famous single woman in the world?"

Police have since said they spoke to a jeweller who helped the couple choose a ring which was worth £130,000.

(C) BANG Media International