Priest backs Burrell over marriage inquiry claim

A Roman Catholic priest has confirmed that butler Paul Burrell made inquiries on behalf of Diana, Princess of Wales, over a theoretical marriage to a Muslim, her inquest heard today.

In a statement read to the jury at the High Court in London, Father Anthony Parsons recalled a conversation in which the topic was raised.

The priest, who then served at the Carmelite Church in Kensington, said he understood that the question referred to Diana but added that he never knew who the man involved was.

He said it was not discussed again although it was later raised by Mr Burrell’s lawyer at the time of the former butler’s trial in 2002.

Mr Burrell told the inquest last week that he sounded the priest out on the subject of a marriage involving a Muslim while Diana was in a relationship with Pakistani heart surgeon Hasnat Khan.

The couple split in the summer of 1997 just before Diana began a relationship with Dodi Fayed, Mr Burrell said.

Fr Parsons said he first met Mr Burrell’s wife Maria (whom he referred to as Marie) in 1996 and had come to consider the couple as friends, occasionally visiting their home in Kensington where they discussed spiritual matters.

“It was on an evening in 1997 that I was again invited round to their home, this was nothing out of the ordinary,” he recalled.

“I think Marie was there that evening and possibly also her mother...we just nattered.

“At some point during the course of the evening Paul Burrell asked me: ’Is it possible for a Muslim to marry a non-Catholic in a Catholic church?”’

He said that he answered that he was not sure, adding that he would find out from the “powers that be” if he wanted, to which Mr Burrell said he did.

He added that Mr Burrell had intimated that the Princess was connected with the inquiry in some way.

“He said something along the lines of ’obviously I would appreciate your discretion’,” the priest added.

He continued that he had raised the matter with fellow clerics but had not taken it any further.

“I remember I mentioned the theory in passing with my Carmelite brothers but I certainly did not mention the provenance of the question posed,” he said.

“The question was passed over and simply laughed off.

“Had I wanted to find out whether marriage under the circumstances was a possibility I would have needed to approach the Bishop or members of his marriage tribunal at the Diocese of Westminster.”

He went on: “I’m not sure exactly when Paul Burrell asked me about the suggestion but I never followed through with it because it was around the time of the Princess of Wales’s death.

“I never thought much about this...I never knew who the Princess of Wales was having a relationship with.”

He added that he had never met the Princess although there had been rumours at the time that Diana was a regular at the church.

He said he believed she had been there once for a baptism before his time but he had not seen her.