butler

18 Stories

Billionaires Are Still Hiring Butlers. This Is What It's Like

The Economist's Will Coldwell peeks inside the world of modern butlers

(Newser) - During a 10-week curriculum, students at one particular school in the Netherlands undergo training for a unique set of skills. In one lesson, they balance books atop their heads while holding a tray of wine glasses—trying to remain steady while being pelted with grapefruit-sized balls. The career they're...

Trump's Former Butler Seems to Really Want President Obama Dead

And now the Secret Service is investigating

(Newser) - The Secret Service is investigating Donald Trump's longtime butler, Anthony Senecal, over multiple posts on his Facebook page advocating the murder of President Obama, the Washington Post reports. Mother Jones , which first reported on Senecal's Facebook activity, quotes a post from Wednesday in which Senecal says Obama "...

Trump's Butler Dishes on How the 'King' Lives

White baseball cap means good mood; red baseball cap means stay away

(Newser) - "You can always tell when the king is here," Anthony Senecal tells the New York Times . The king he's referring to: Donald Trump. Who Senecal is: Trump's longtime butler, who offers the paper fascinating insight into how the GOP front-runner lives at his Mar-A-Lago estate in...

Thanks, Downton: Now Everyone Wants a Butler

Whole class of nouveau riche suddenly need help getting dressed

(Newser) - Apparently enduring four seasons of 20th-century British gentry incapable of dressing or feeding themselves has inspired a desire among the world's richest dudes to get their very own Mr. Carson. In other words, as NPR reports, the business of being a butler is booming. "When you're talking...

Pope Pardons Ex-Butler
 Pope Pardons Ex-Butler 
Dec 22, 2012 6:37 AM CST

Pope Pardons Ex-Butler

Paolo Gabriele had been serving time for stealing papal documents

(Newser) - Pope Benedict XVI has granted a Christmas pardon to his former butler, who stole the pope's private papers and leaked them to a journalist in one of the gravest Vatican security breaches in recent times. The Vatican said Benedict visited Paolo Gabriele in the Vatican police barracks this morning,...

Pope's Butler Gets 18 Months for Stealing Documents
Pope's Butler Guilty,
But Pardon Is 'Likely'
UPDATED
Oct 6, 2012 10:43 AM CDT

Pope's Butler Guilty, But Pardon Is 'Likely'

Paolo Gabriele gets 18 months for stealing church documents

(Newser) - It looks like Pope Benedict is going to let his former butler off the hook. A Vatican spokesman says a pardon is "likely" for Paolo Gabriele, after he was convicted today and sentenced to 18 months for stealing the pontiff's private papers and other church documents and leaking...

Pope's Butler: I Betrayed Him
 Pope's Butler: I Betrayed Him 
Oct 2, 2012 2:17 PM CDT

Pope's Butler: I Betrayed Him

But Paolo Gabriele declares himself innocent of theft charges

(Newser) - Paolo Gabriele pleaded guilty today—sort of. The pope's former butler said that he was innocent of the aggravated theft charges against him, but added, "I feel guilty of having betrayed the trust of the Holy Father, whom I love as a son would." He said his...

Pope's Former Butler to Testify in 'Vatileaks' Trial

Verdict could come by week's end

(Newser) - As the trial of Pope Benedict's ex-butler enters its second day, the defendant himself is set to testify. Paolo Gabriele will likely confess to leaking confidential Vatican documents, al-Jazeera reports, since he already admitted guilt to prosecutors during a pretrial hearing. What to watch for at today's session:...

Jane Fonda Set to Play Nancy Reagan

In biopic of White House butler Eugene Allen

(Newser) - Jane Fonda, whose liberal views made her a scourge of the political right during the Vietnam War era, will play Nancy Reagan in an upcoming movie. The Butler chronicles the life of longtime White House butler Eugene Allen. Forest Whitaker is nearing a deal to play Allen, who worked under...

Butler: Astor's Mind Was Gone
 Butler: Astor's Mind Was Gone 
Jun 9, 2009 11:37 AM CDT

Butler: Astor's Mind Was Gone

(Newser) - Brooke Astor spent her final years in a haze as her faculties deserted her, her butler testified yesterday at the fraud trial of Astor’s son Anthony Marshall. As early as 1997, Astor’s memory started to fail her, leaving her unable to recall her servants’ names or even what...

Ex-Royal Butler Admits to Sex With Little Boys

'Charmer' Kidd took 12-year-old victim to see Queen Mum

(Newser) - The Queen of England’s ex-butler pleaded guilty today to repeated dalliances with boys as young as 12, the London Times reports. Paul Kidd, 55, worked for 6 years in Buckingham Palace in the late 1970s and parlayed his role into a lucrative speaking career. His charming persona ended up...

Did the Butler Do It With Di?
 Did the Butler Do It With Di? 
Jun 16, 2008 10:20 AM CDT

Did the Butler Do It With Di?

Brother-in-law tells tab Paul Burrell confessed to 'kinky' confabs with princess

(Newser) - Did Princess Diana bed her royal butler? That’s what Paul Burrell's brother-in-law tells the News of the World, per a 1993 pub confession. "He suddenly tells me he's been having a sexual relationship with Princess Diana," Ron Cosgrove said. “He said they did it in the...

Di's Butler Refuses Court Return
Di's Butler Refuses Court Return
Mar 6, 2008 1:12 PM CST

Di's Butler Refuses Court Return

Burrell denies he perjured himself to princess' inquest

(Newser) - Princess Diana’s ex-butler rejected a request to return to Britain to clarify statements made to a reporter about having lied to the inquest into her death, the Guardian reports today. Paul Burrell, who now lives in Florida, says he had "been drinking all evening and was tired and...

Princess Diana's Butler Is Gay. Who Cares?
Princess Diana's Butler Is Gay. Who Cares?
OPINION
Feb 26, 2008 1:20 PM CST

Princess Diana's Butler Is Gay. Who Cares?

The problem is hypocrisy, not sexuality: columnist

(Newser) - A British tabloid had a field day this weekend outing Princess Diana's butler Paul Burrell, who has parlayed his notoriety into hosting a TV show on etiquette called "American Princess." But for one columnist, the allegations that Diana's married-with-children confidant trawls saunas for sex demonstrate a sea change...

Royal Butler Recalled to Diana Inquest

Paul Burrell is asked to return after video suggests he lied

(Newser) - After a video showed the former royal butler saying he’d been untruthful during an appearance at the Princess Diana inquest, Paul Burrell is being asked to return and explain himself, reports the BBC. In the tape, Burrell allegedly claims to have dropped “red herrings” and kept secrets in...

Diana's Butler Cops to Lying at Inquest

'I was very naughty,' Burrell confesses on videotape

(Newser) - Princess Diana's ex-butler threw the $20-million inquest into her death "a few red herrings," "didn't tell the whole truth," and could be facing some quality time in the pokey for his trouble, reports the Sun. The British paper says it uncovered a 3-hour videotape in which...

Butler: Dodi Wasn't 'the One'
Butler: Dodi Wasn't 'the One'
Jan 14, 2008 12:20 PM CST

Butler: Dodi Wasn't 'the One'

Factotum tells inquest Diana planned to marry ex-flame Khan

(Newser) - Princess Diana had no intention of marrying Dodi al Fayed but had set her sights on Hasnat Khan, says her former butler and confidant extraordinaire. Paul Burrell testified at her inquest today that he met with a Catholic priest to make arrangements for a private ceremony for the princess and...

'Charles Wants to Kill Me,' Di Wrote
'Charles Wants to Kill Me,'
Di Wrote
Dec 20, 2007 11:26 AM CST

'Charles Wants to Kill Me,' Di Wrote

Suspected he was planning brake failure, 'serious head injury'

(Newser) - Princess Diana feared Prince Charles was trying to kill her so he could marry their sons' nanny, Tiggy Legge-Bourke, according to a handwritten letter admitted into evidence in the ongoing inquest into her death. "My husband is planning 'an accident' in my car, brake failure and serious head injury...

18 Stories