PRINCESS Diana’s butler Paul Burrell has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Paul, who was described by Diana as her “rock” fought back tears as he told of his diagnosis during an interview with Lorraine Kelly.
The former royal servant said he was diagnosed last year when he underwent a medical for a TV show, believed to be I’m A Celebrity All Stars.
Paul told host Lorraine Kelly: "I’m tired, you see I’m on hormone therapy, and it’s sort of robbing me of my testosterone.
"So my beard isn’t growing like it should, I’m tired, and emotional, and I get hot flushes."
"When did you find out?" Lorraine asked.
"In the summer I had to go for a medical for a TV programme I was doing and their duty of care was that I had a full MOT.
"And out of that came a surprisingly high PSA, I had no idea what a PSA test was. Apparently it is a checmical that is released by your prostate gland.
"So, I went to my GP and he said this is unusual, he examined me and said, 'uou look to be fairly normal.
"So he sent me for an MRI scan and of course that was the window."
Gripped with emotion, Paul continued: "I was wrapping Christmas presents, wondering 'will I be here next Christmas?'
"I went to America to tell my boys over Christmas, and they said to me, ‘Dad we need to see more of you'."
Paul said cancer "knocked me sideways" but said Prince Harry attacking him in his new book Spare was a huge blow.
Paul told Lorraine: "Why did he call me 'mummie's butler? Why couldn't he have come to me personally and said he wasn't happy.'
"I've always defended him, always, and now I'm thinking, 'Harry, you've lost the plot. There has been a shift in that man and he's changed. And I don't know the answer. I'm saddened by it."
Paul, who the late Princess Diana's closest confidante, urged viewers to go for a 'simple blood test' which can detect the early signs of prostate cancer.
He added: "There are thousands of men out there who don’t have symptoms like me. I was lucky, they caught it out there.
"You’ve got loads of lovely female viewers who can say to their men, go get tested."
The ex butler split from his second wife Maria in 2016 and revealed he was gay a year later.
He added that after an operation next month to remove his lump he can no longer have children, but said his sex life has not been impacted.
He said: "I don't want any more children, I've got two wonderul boys, that's fine.
"But you have to talk about the other problems too with your partner, I've got a very strong partner and we talk about everthing.
"Not everything finishes because you lose your prostrate. It can continue to be as good as it ever was in the bedroom."
Lorraine later invited Dr Hilary Jones into the conversation and the show medic said: “It’s so good that he’s raising awareness.
"Because this is the second most common cancer in men overall and it kills over 12000 every year, with over 52,000 diagnosed.
"Common symptoms are urinating often, feeling like you still need to go, some blood in the urine.”
Paul went on to praise the NHS saying he will have his operation to remove his lump on February 27, before Lorraine offered some final words of comfort.
She told him: "We're going to be following your treatment because I know the whole thing about you talking to me today, about you being so open is that you want to make sure that other men don't go through this.
"I know you've got an amazing husband and amazing friends and we wish you all the best."
"I will get through this," Paul said.
Paul , born on June 6, 1958, served as a footman for Queen Elizabeth II and butler to Diana, Princess of Wales.
He entered the royal service when he was 18 and became the Queen's personal footman a year later.
Paul was inspired to work for the monarchy after a childhood visit to Buckingham Palace from his coal-mining hometown Grassmore, Derbyshire.
He became a close confidante of the princess, who once described him as "her rock".
Paul starred in season four of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
He last year returned to film the show for spin off All Stars.
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