Diana butler denies theft charges

Burrell leaves a central London police station after being charged with theft of property that had belonged to Diana

LONDON, England -- Princess Diana's former butler Paul Burrell has denied stealing hundreds of his late employer's possessions.

Burrell, who Diana called "my rock," denied three charges of stealing items from Diana, Prince Charles and Prince William when he appeared at London's Bow Street magistrates' court on Friday.

He was released on bail and ordered to appear again in court on October 12.

Burrell, who has written extensively on etiquette and good manners, arrived at court before the doors to the building were unlocked, causing chaotic scenes among the media waiting outside.

He strode up to the entrance flanked by police officers as officials were still putting out barriers to keep back photographers.

ALSO Partial list of items Diana's butler is accused of stealing

The double doors remained firmly shut when he pushed at them, and he found himself at the mercy of a swarm of camera crews until an official allowed him to enter. Police reinforcements later arrived in vans.

As he emerged after the hearing, a security guard restrained a man who attempted to lunge at Burrell.

Speaking outside the court after the hearing, Burrell's solicitor Andrew Shaw said police "had decided to start another trophy trial."

"Princess Diana trusted Mr. Burrell -- she called him her rock. The night before her funeral he maintained an all-night prayer vigil by her body in Kensington Palace,'' he said.

"It is now suggested that the same man who declined vast sums to tell royal secrets decided to steal items including dresses and some clearly identified royal property and put them in unopened boxes in his loft.

"He may have mummified some of her possessions instead of stealing them."

Burrell, 43, of Chester, northwest England, was arrested on suspicion of theft in January and was first questioned at a police station in Runcorn, northwest England.

Diana would have turned 40 on July 1

He had been on bail since then and was charged when he answered bail at West End Central police station in London on Thursday.

Burrell was a long-time servant of the royal family, spending 12 years as a footman to the queen before his employment with the princess.

Burrell helped prepare Diana's body for burial following her death in a Paris car crash on August 31, 1997, and he was the only non-family member to witness the burial at her family's estate.

Soon afterwards, the queen awarded him the Royal Victorian Medal for his services to the royal family.

After Diana's death, Burrell received favourable publicity for not making money from his connection with the princess.

He turned down $1 million to write a tell-all book about Diana's personal life and opted instead to publish two books on stylish living and entertaining.

The charges against Burrell, who was at Diana's side through her divorce, are the latest development in an investigation into the alleged theft of jewels, lavish gifts and cash worth more than £1 million ($1.44 million) from her estate.

Royal butler Harold Brown, 48, a former employee of Diana and later of Queen Elizabeth's sister Princess Margaret, was arrested last November and charged with four counts of theft.

An auctioneer has also been arrested in the case.