Outside interference in the crumbling marriage of Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, meant it never stood a chance of recovering, her former butler has claimed.

Paul Burrell names the then Prime Minister John Major and the former Archbishop of Canterbury Dr George Carey as among those who were "interfering" in the marriage.

Mr Major 'offered advice to royal couple'

In his latest interview with the Daily Mirror newspaper, Mr Burrell also admits he put the princess before his wife and family, because she "needed" him more than they did.

The paper paid �300,000 to serialise the former butler's story after he was acquitted last week of all charges of theft from the princess's estate and from Prince Charles and Prince William.

Speaking in Saturday's paper, Mr Burrell says the princess was desperate to avoid a divorce but the couple never stood a chance.

Couple's decision

"Everyone was interfering ... the Prime Minister John Major, the Archbishop of Canterbury and other people who thought they knew her best," the newspaper quotes him as saying.

He claims Mr Major visited Diana at Kensington Palace but she felt it was a decision for her and her husband.

Diana did not want a divorce, claims her former butler

A spokesman for Mr Major said: "Advice was only offered by Mr Major when requested by either the Prince or Princess of Wales. Any suggestion beyond that is simply absurd."

Sources close to Dr Carey, who became Archbishop of Canterbury in March 1991, said his relationship with the Royal family was private.

Elsewhere in the newspaper interview, Mr Burrell says he would never be as close to any woman as he was to Diana.

"The princess always came first.

"I might have put her above my wife and children, but there are reasons for that.

"She needed me; they didn't."

The former royal servant will be interviewed on television on Sunday.

Diana's loneliness

A video diary, recorded over the past six months, will form part of the Tonight with Trevor McDonald programme on ITV1.

During the broadcast, Mr Burrell will also talk about what he saw as the princess's loneliness.

"I think perhaps the family was dysfunctional," he tells the programme.

"It's difficult to say.

"From a very early age the princess had a difficult life, living in a huge stately home with parents who were busy doing other things; away at boarding school."

He also speaks of the strain between the princess and her mother Frances Shand Kydd.

Their lack of contact was something, he claims, Mrs Shand Kydd "will always regret and will carry with her for the rest of her life".