‘I think she sent him’: Princess Diana’s former butler Paul Burrell claims late royal orchestrated his fateful encounter with now-husband Graham Cooper

Princess Diana‘s former butler, Paul Burrell, is a firm believer in the spiritual world and how ghosts from that realm may play a role in everyone’s lives. In a recent interview, he claimed the spirit of the late royal helped him find his way to his now-husband, Graham Cooper.

During an appearance on the What If? podcast, Burrell, who served the Princess of Wales for a decade, claimed Princess Diana’s undead influence orchestrated his 2007 encounter with Cooper — despite him never confirming his sexuality to her during their time together. He recalled having that chance meeting 10 years after the people’s princess’ tragic death.

According to Burrell, he and Cooper crossed paths on a train journey from London Euston to Crewe, a moment he described as nothing short of a “sliding doors” experience. While riding the train, Burrell noticed a corporate lawyer at the other end of the carriage. Their eyes met, and an instant connection was formed.

“I was on a train coming from London. Euston to Crewe. And on that train, down the other end of the carriage, was a man who smiled at me. That’s all. I just looked down the aisle, and he smiled, and I thought, ‘Oh, what just happened then? Something happened,'” the former royal butler shared.

But Burrell didn’t speak to Cooper during the 90-minute journey. As Cooper prepared to leave the train at Crewe, Burrell felt a moment of panic. I thought, ‘Oh wow, what if he gets off the train and it’s sliding doors and I’ll never see him again in my life?'”

Believing Princess Diana’s spirit was guiding him, Burrell didn’t let the opportunity slip away. “I think she sent him. Yes. To take care of me,” he said. It was an unforgettable moment, one that led to Burrell asking Cooper for his business card as the train ride ended.

At that time, Burrell had not publicly come out as gay. He was still married to Maria Cosgrove, with whom he shares two children. However, he admitted that he and Princess Diana already had an unspoken understanding about his sexuality by then. “We had an understanding, and so I was safe, and she was safe. So it didn’t matter in our world.”

Burrell’s marriage to Cosgrove eventually ended, following Princess Diana’s tragic death. Reflecting on this, Burrell said, “Maria gave me my two children, you know I still love her to this day. But things happened when Diana died, our world fell apart. And truths came to the surface, as often does after death and things, and a tragedy in a family.”Burrell announced he was marrying Cooper in 2017, and the rest is history.

Interestingly, Burrell isn’t the only one who has claimed to feel Princess Diana’s presence from beyond the grave. In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry shared a chilling experience he had when he met with a woman who had “powers.” Despite his initial skepticism, Prince Harry was moved by the woman’s words, which he felt were like a divine connection with his late mother.

“The minute we sat down together, I felt an energy around her. You’re living the life she couldn’t,” the woman said to him. “You’re living the life she wanted for you.” The Duke of Sussex wrote that he felt his mom’s presence when the woman told him that Princess Diana was “right there” with him during their conversation.