'Diana was the only woman he told': Former Royal butler Paul Burrell reveals he is gay and announces he is to MARRY his lawyer boyfriend just nine months after divorcing his wife of 32 years

• Paul Burrell, 58, will tie the knot with lawyer partner Graham Cooper, 58, in April 
• Mr Burrell and and his new love Mr Cooper holidayed together in the US in 2014
• Last year controversial former royal butler and wife of 32 years Maria divorced
• Burrell served Princess Diana as her butler for 10 years and became her 'rock'
• Diana rumoured to be only person he told about gay and only told sons recently

By ALEX MATTHEWS and MARTIN ROBINSON, UK CHIEF REPORTER FOR MAILONLINE

Princess Diana's former butler Paul Burrell has revealed he is gay and will marry his boyfriend just nine months after divorcing his wife of 32 years.

Mr Burrell, 58, now a florist living in Cheshire, will wed his lawyer partner Graham Cooper, 58, next month and they have reportedly been together for up to a decade.

The father-of-two divorced his wife Maria, 62, last year and his wedding is the first public acknowledgement that he is gay - but a source close to Mr Burrell has claimed the only person her ever told about his sexuality was Diana.

The couple's adult sons Alexander, 27, and Nicholas, 24, are expected to fly over from the US to attend the wedding ceremony in the Lake District. 

Their 'lavish' wedding ceremony will be 'circus themed' – with waiters dressed as clowns and ringmasters – and Paul and his boyfriend have already held their stag do with friends at a Blackpool drag club, according to The Sun.

Getting married: Princess Diana's former butler Paul Burrell is believed to be tying the knot to his lawyer partner Graham Cooper next month (both pictured)

Royals: Burrell, who served Princess Diana (pictured together in 1994) for ten years, claimed the Princess of Wales called him her 'rock' and the 'only man I ever trusted' - her sons would later accuse him of 'betrayal'

New job: Burrell now runs his florist, Paul Burrell Flowers, close to where the family used to live in the village of Farndon, Cheshire

Previous relationship: Paul Burrell and ex-wife Maria, who divorced last year after 32 years of marriage, left in 1984, and have two sons, who were only told recently their father was gay

Mr Burrell, who served as Princess Diana's butler for 10 years and was said to be called 'her rock', is yet to speak about the relationship publicly but a spokesman has confirmed the 'forthcoming marriage'.

How William and Harry blasted Burrell's 'betrayal' of their mum 

Princes William and Harry attacked former royal butler Paul Burrell for his 'cold and overt betrayal' of their mother.

In a 2003 statement unprecedented for its strength of feeling, William, then 21 and also speaking on behalf of his younger brother, showed his deep pain at Mr Burrell's revelations in his tell-all book.

The Princes said the late Diana, Princess of Wales, would have been 'mortified' at his actions if she were alive today.

They called on him to put an end to his disclosures.

Mr Burrell, who worked for the Princess, made a series of claims including one that Diana feared for her life and spoke of a plot to tamper with the brakes of her car.

Prince William said in the statement released by Clarence House: 'We cannot believe that Paul who was entrusted with so much could abuse his position in such a cold and overt betrayal.

'It is not only deeply painful for the two of us but also for everyone else affected and it would mortify our mother if she were alive today and, if we might say so, we feel we are more able to speak for our mother than Paul'.

Mr Burrell and Mr Cooper live together and were listed as directors at the same company in records from 2011. 

Mr Cooper is believed to be a Legal Director for HBOS in Chester since 2010, having previously spent 22 years working for Lloyds Bank. 

They were also pictured together on Facebook at the Blackberry Creek Retreat Bed & Breakfast, during a holiday in Missouri, US, in 2014, two years before Mr Burrell's divorce.

Mr Burrell has always refused to discuss his sexuality despite a 2002 expose in which an Australian man claimed they had enjoyed a three-year relationship in the early 1980s before he married Maria.

However, a source close to the former butler has revealed that he confided in his special friend, Princess Diana. 

They told the Sun: 'Paul's friends and family all know but for a long time he kept it a closely guarded secret. 

'He did share it with Diana while he worked with her because they were so close.

'But at the time she was the only woman he felt he could tell.' 

Mr Burrell and his wife announced their divorce just months ago, but it is believed that they had been living separately for some time before they split up.

While he decided to stay in Cheshire, Maria now lives in a luxury home in Florida. 

Burrell now runs his florist, Paul Burrell Flowers, close to where the family used to live in the village of Farndon.

Last month he was pictured taking flowers inside the store and serving customers. Although he is not thought to work there on a day-to-day basis.

New love:  Mr Burrell and partner Mr Cooper while on a holiday in Missouri, US, in 2014

New life: Paul (far right) shows friends some pictures during the US holiday with his new partner Graham (far left)

Home: Paul Burrell lives in this rural Cheshire mansion with his fiance Graham, who he plans to marry next month

Paul and Maria Burrell met while they were both working at Bucking