Private letters written by King Charles have now come to light and they reveal exactly what the monarch thought about explosive claims made by Princess Diana’s former butler, Paul Burrell.
The correspondence, uncovered and reported by The Mirror, offers a rare glimpse into the King’s deeply personal thoughts during one of the most turbulent periods of his life and shows his mounting frustration with the media circus surrounding the late Princess of Wales.
Before ascending the throne, King Charles shared a close friendship with legendary comedian Spike Milligan, who died in 2002.
The bond between the two men was so strong that Spike was a frequent guest at royal residences. Following Spike’s death, Charles formed an unexpected friendship with his son, James Milligan, after James wrote to thank him for sending flowers to his father’s funeral.
Charles replied warmly, expressing how deeply he missed Spike’s humour, writing: “They don’t make people like your father any more, sadly!”
What began as a gesture of condolence soon evolved into a private correspondence that spanned years, and became increasingly candid.
In one particularly revealing exchange, Charles addressed sensational allegations made by Paul Burrell, who claimed to The Daily Mirror that Princess Diana feared her car brakes would be tampered with to cause a fatal crash.
James Milligan wrote to Charles about the allegations and the then Prince of Wales responded with a letter that laid bare his exasperation with both the media and those fuelling what he viewed as manufactured narratives.
In a letter dated January 6, 2004, Charles wrote: “You have no idea how touched I was by your wonderfully heartening letter the other day. I don't know, have I gone mad or has the whole world gone mad?”
“Perhaps all this perpetual hellishness is like steel being forged in the fire and at the end of the day, I will become a better, wiser person. Whatever the case, it sure ain't going to get any easier with the media and its insane circulation war, its chequebook journalism and its totally manufactured ‘stories’.”
“As Sir Winston Churchill used to say, I will keep ‘buggering on’. And kind allies like yourself make all the difference.”
At the time, Burrell had already become a controversial figure, having worked for Charles during his marriage to Diana before becoming one of the Princess’s closest confidants until her death in 1997.
