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Princess Diana said Prince Charles 'isn't fit to be king'

Watch the full interview with Princess Diana’s former confidant, Paul Burrell, on episode five of Yahoo UK’sThe Royal Box‘, which is available to stream here from Friday 3 August.

The line of succession to the British throne has generated plenty of debate over the years.

In 2016, a poll showed a quarter of Britons wanted heir-apparent Prince Charles to step aside when the Queen dies, allowing Prince William to be crowned King.

Although that scenario is thought to be highly unlikely by royal insiders, it is true that the popularity of Charles has fluctuated in recent years, falling to a historic low in the aftermath of Princess Diana’s death in 1997.

Now, a former butler to Princess Diana has claimed she said Charles wasn’t fit to be king.

He told Yahoo UK in an exclusive interview for The Royal Box: “By the time Charles gets there he’ll be 80.

“Why wouldn’t he say to the Commonwealth and the people of the United Kingdom, ‘I’m sure you’d much prefer a younger king and queen’?”

“His own wife said ‘my husband is not fit for the top job’. Diana said that,” Burrell told Yahoo UK’s The Royal Box.

Burrell, who worked with Diana from 1987 until her death a decade later, also touched on the palace’s handling of Thomas Markle and how Meghan Markle is faring in her new role.

Watch the full episode here.

Princess Diana and Prince Charles pictured in 1988. [Photo: Rex]
Princess Diana and Prince Charles pictured in 1988. [Photo: Rex]

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