Princess Diana was just 20 years old when she married King Charles on July 29, 1981. As a result, it reportedly took the young royal some time to adjust to her new role within the Royal Family. And according to one of her former employees, not everyone responded well to Diana's approach to running a household.
In his book A Royal Duty, former butler Paul Burrell revealed what it was like working for Princess Diana and King Charles in the "early days" of their marriage.
"[T]he prince and princess were known for living a quiet life," Burrell wrote. The former butler continued, "The princess did not yet have the confidence she became renowned for, or the assertiveness some staff would one day fear. She was still timid and finding her feet in a royal environment but she recognized how lucky she was to be in such a position."
Unfortunately, not everyone responded appropriately to Diana's "timid" nature.
Recalling a fairly horrifying incident that took place, Burrell revealed that a "member of staff provided [Diana] with a short, sharp shock, and she realized she had not found favor with everyone."
According to Burrell, the alleged altercation took place during a conversation Diana was having "with a member of the household about staff timetables." During the discussion, "a few choice words were exchanged about who was and was not pulling their weight," Burrell wrote.
Remembering the upsetting incident, Burrell shared, "The member of staff stood opposite the princess, who was blushing as she tried to take command. He felt he knew better than the nursery-assistant-turned-princess, his new boss. He began to rant and rave."
The situation quickly got worse, according to Burrell's account.
"As [Diana] stood against the wall, he leaned in and put his hands at either side of the princess's head, palms on the wall," the former royal butler explained. "'If you weren't so fucking boring, then we would be doing more,' he said."
Following the scary incident, the staff member was allegedly fired, according to Burrell, which must have been a relief for the young princess. In the moment, Diana must have been scared and intimidated after being spoken to in such a way.
