Imagine this: it's a quiet evening in London, and royal butler Paul Burrell is driving out of Kensington Palace. As he leaves, he warns the guards not to stop him when he returns. Why? Well, let me tell you, this wasn't just any trip. Princess Diana's secret lover, Dr. Hasnat Khan, would "hop into the back seat and cover himself with a blanket," Burrell exclusively reveals to Closer Weekly. When Burrell returned to the palace gates, he'd "flash his lights" as a signal for the guards to let him pass. "I was never caught delivering my special cargo," he says with a wink.
After Diana's marriage to Prince Charles ended in 1996, she tried hard to keep her two-year romance with Dr. Hasnat Khan under wraps. But let's be honest, keeping secrets in the royal family is like trying to hide a diamond in a jewelry store window—it's not easy. Some royals, however, suspected there was a new love in her life. "We would catch Princess Margaret, the queen’s sister, spying through her curtains," Burrell recalls. Once, Diana even playfully waved and shouted, "Good night, Margo!" It was a lighthearted moment in what was otherwise a very secretive relationship.
How Their Love Story Began
The story of Diana and Hasnat began not long after her divorce when she visited a hospital to meet sick children. It was there that she met Dr. Hasnat Khan, a Pakistan-born surgeon. "She told me, 'He smiled and stared straight at me, into my soul, and I knew he was the one… my Mr. Wonderful,'" Burrell relates with admiration. Despite the obvious challenges—she was the mother of a future king, and he was a Pakistani Muslim commoner—they began meeting quietly. Love, after all, often finds a way, even if it's not an easy one.
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Challenges and Dreams
Determined as ever, Diana spoke with her priest about the possibility of marrying Hasnat. She also confided in her friend Jemima Khan, who was married to a renowned Pakistani cricket player, about the idea of moving to Pakistan. But Hasnat was cautious. He feared that their marriage would make him the world’s most hated man. "Their affair ended on Diana’s 36th birthday," Burrell shares with a hint of sadness.
What Could Have Been
Not long after, Diana began a new chapter with Dodi Fayed. Tragically, their story ended in a Paris car crash just two months later. "I truly believe that had the princess returned from Paris, she would have reconnected with Hasnat," Burrell reflects. "Their love affair would have been rekindled." It's a poignant thought that leaves us wondering about what might have been.
Reporting by Louise A. Barile
For more on this story and others, pick up the latest issue of Closer magazine, available now on newsstands.
