Fed: Royal butler's letters go on sale

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Fed: Royal butler's letters go on sale

By Vera Devai

BRISBANE, Dec 17 AAP - A man claiming to be a former lover of Princess Diana's butleris selling candid love letters he received from the royal servant because they gave him"bad vibes".

The collection of 54 items includes handwritten letters, photographs and postcardswhich allegedly contain Paul Burrell's candid observation of royal life.

The letters are addressed to Gold Coast antique store owner Gregory Pead, who saidhe had a three-year relationship with Mr Burrell after they met in a London gay club in1980.

"I had very bad vibes about these letters ... and I said I never want to see this mailor photos again," Mr Pead told AAP today.

"Yes, money does come into it, I will be honest.

"But I would be rather foolish to throw them in the garbage ... they are highly collectable... but I don't want them in my home."

Mr Burrell, the man Diana was said to have called "my rock", went to trial in October,charged with stealing more than 300 items from the Princess's estate following her deathin a Paris car crash in August 1997.

But the trial was abruptly halted when the Queen remembered Mr Burrell told her hehad put the items aside for safekeeping.

Mr Pead contacted Scotland Yard earlier this year to alert them about the letters afterhearing about the controversy surrounding his former lover.

Detectives flew to Australia to interview Mr Pead and view the letters, which he saidwere authentic.

"Scotland Yard was prepared to spend four days reading these letters in Australia andyou can imagine the expense ... so why anyone would challenge their authenticity I haveno idea," Mr Pead said.

The letters, put on display at his Times Past Collectibles shop today, detail informationabout Diana's wedding gown, security arrangements for the event and the politics surroundingthe Spanish King's refusal to attend.

One letter dated March 1981 and written on palace stationery, allegedly has Mr Burrelldescribing being suspended for several days during an investigation into reports of homosexualityamong staff from the royal yacht Britannia.

Mr Pead said the letters "offer an amazing insight into a three-year period in thelife the Queen in the most intimate detail."

"I think instead of focusing on Paul or Diana or sex they are a time capsule of thethree-year period in the life of the Royal Family," he said.

Mr Burrell, who married Maria Cosgrave in 1984 and has two sons, has never admittedto a relationship with Mr Pead.

"I'm extremely disappointed (about that) because there are 54 letters here just expressingthe most amazing love for me," Mr Pead said.

AAP ved/ch/cjh/br

KEYWORD: BUTLER (PIX AVAILABLE)