Ex-butler shares Diana's nighttime routine after divorce

Princess Diana struggled to live on her own following her divorce from King Charles, according to her former butler Paul Burrell.

The then Prince of Wales, who passed away in a car accident in Paris in 1997, divorced Diana, and she reportedly often asked her house help to stay with her a little longer as she struggled through a lonely life.

'Stay a while,' Diana often said

In his book A Royal Duty, former butler Paul Burrell wrote: "It became clear, as I wheeled in her two-course evening meal, that with William and Harry at boarding school she preferred not to be left alone." Burrell added: "'Stay a while,' she said, more times than I can remember."

Nighttime chats with her butler

Burrell described the routine that followed these requests. He wrote: "I stood, leaning against an upholstered chair and we talked about her day, my day, the week ahead...These nighttime chats might be brief or extend into a chat that lost all track of time."

Diana feared what each day might bring

According to Burrell, Diana often expressed anxiety about the days ahead. He recalled: "'What do you think tomorrow's going to bring?' she asked. She felt every day had the capacity to bring a new drama, a fresh problem, or a particularly difficult incident."

Burrell's reassurance helped her sleep

Burrell continued: "'Whatever happens, we'll tackle it,' I told her. When bedtime came, she disappeared down the corridor, with a girlish skip and hop, as if she was suddenly full of energy again, looking forward to the next day."