A former royal butler believes Meghan Markle wanted a ‘starring role’ in the British Royal Family – and her marriage to Prince Harry is doomed to fail.
Paul Burrell has lifted the lid on royal life in an interview on the Daily Mail Royals Channel. He is also doing an exclusive chat in Palace Confidential newsletter which you can sign up for above.
From serving as footman to Queen Elizabeth II in 1976 to becoming butler to Charles and Diana in 1987 and then exclusively serving as butler to Diana from 1992, until her untimely, tragic death in 1997, Burrell has extraordinary insight into the lives of key members of the British Royal Family.
‘I don’t think Meghan ever considered being a supporting actress,’ Burrell said. ‘I think she wanted to be a star.’
In his new book The Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King and Princess Diana, Burrell writes: ‘She wanted to be the star but she would always have second billing to the future Queen Catherine.
‘While Meghan wanted celebrity status, she did not want to conform to the rules of the House of Windsor.
‘Being American, she struggled to understand the culture of the Royal establishment with its rules and protocols.’
Later in the bombshell book, Burrell writes that the downfall of Harry and Meghan’s marriage is ‘inevitable’.\
Expanding on this in the interview with the Daily Mail, he said: ‘I think the two cultures which came together in the marriage of Harry and Meghan, there is a fault line down the middle of it and I feel that will crack one day.
‘Think about it. Harry came from this very busy world of the Royal Family with lots to do. Even in his spare time, he could play polo and do whatever he wanted.
‘He is sat in Montecito, twiddling his thumbs, thinking: “What do I do next? What is my role? Where is my work?”‘
Burrell said he believes this mentality will ‘wear thin’ for the Duke of Sus𝑠e𝑥.
‘As Meghan rises in Netflix firmament into whatever she will do,’ he said, ‘I think it won’t be enough for Meghan and it won’t be enough for Harry.
‘She will just go off and her next step is a billionaire because she’s got millions so why not step up to a billionaire?’
And in a prediction that will ruffle feathers at Buckingham Palace, Burrell added that Meghan might even ‘go for politics’.
‘Why not become governor of California?’ Burrell asked.
For more fascinating insights from the Mail’s team of unrivalled experts, watch our interview with Paul Burrell in full now and subscribe to the Daily Mail Royals YouTube channel.