The Butler Didn't Do It — But May

Former royal butler Paul Burrell so far is resisting the temptation to "tell all" about Princess Diana and shenanigans of the British royal family, but how long that will last is uncertain.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tony Blair came to the defense of Queen Elizabeth II on Monday, saying she had acted properly when she intervened in Burell's trial for stealing from Princess Diana.

Skeptics have asked why it took the queen so long to recall the conversation that cleared Burrell last week and caused the case against him to collapse.

Buckingham Palace said the monarch only recently remembered that Burrell told her shortly after Diana's 1997 death he had taken some of the princess's belongings for safekeeping.

Skeptics are saying the Queen got involved at the 11th hour to keep Burrell from spilling royal secrets, reports CBS News Correspondent Steve Holt. In his first interview since being acquitted, Burrell admitted, "I have got a great story to tell," but he has always insisted he won't betray the princess, despite what are said to be multi-million dollar offers for a book.

"There are often many, many allegations made, but I think that Buckingham Palace has answered these questions perfectly rightly and I do believe...that the queen herself has behaved entirely properly throughout," Blair told a news conference.

He said there was no need to change rules that excuse the monarch — symbolic head of the judicial system — from being compelled to testify in court.

"I do not believe there is a case for changing the law so that the queen ends up directly being involved personally in these cases," the prime minister said. "I think it would be a mistake and I think it would be unfair to her.

"I don't believe that this raises issues that require some sort of independent inquiry," he added. "I think this was a highly exceptional, almost unique case."

Blair said the queen had informed him at a meeting last week that Buckingham Palace had told prosecutors about her conversation with Burrell. The revelation caused the case against the butler to collapse because the prosecution had based its arguments on the contention that he failed to notify the royal family he had taken some of Diana's possessions.

Critics suggested the queen acted because she feared her relatives might be called to appear as witnesses or that Burrell would embarrass the royal family if he testified.

Blair said he believed the Crown Prosecution Service would look carefully at the lessons it could learn from the case.

In a letter to the Lord Chancellor, Britain's top legal officer, Labor lawmaker Dennis Skinner said the queen should be held to the same standard as everyone else.

"If this was an ordinary man or woman in the street, they would be accused of withholding vital information and obstructing the course of justice," he wrote. "At the risk of finishing up in the Tower (of London), I cannot see why people, however high and mighty, should be allowed to escape the full rigor of the law. The rules should apply to everyone."

Lawmakers planned to question the Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine, about the case later Monday.

Burrell called London's privately owned LBC Radio Monday to thank Britons for their support.

"We have received sacks of mail from all round the country and it is very moving and touching," he said. "I just cannot believe that so many people out there actually care."

The British Broadcasting Corp. reported Sunday that Burrell said he stayed silent about the meeting because he did not realize that what he told the queen could clear him.