Disgraced former Royal butler boasts he's still in touch with Wills and Harry

He has been boasting that he remains close to the Royal Family, claiming he met the Queen at the Kentucky Derby last week and was still in contact with the Royal Princes.

As he autographed bottles of the Chardonnay, Shiraz and sparkling rose he is importing from Australia - and which sell for between £5 and £7.50 a bottle - at a Miami supermarket last week, he told shoppers: "The Queen and I are still close, but I can't say too much.

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"We spent some time together, of course. I worked for the Queen for many years and we were very close."

He added: "I'm in touch with both Prince Harry and Prince William. They haven't had a chance to taste my wines yet. Harry is leaving for Iraq this week. I don't know what the assignment will be."

But Buckingham Palace said it was unaware of any meeting between the Queen and the disgraced former butler - and a spokesman for Prince William categorically denied there had been any contact with Burrell. "He is not in touch with them. And he hasn't been," he said.

For a man who once promised he would never cash in on Princess Diana's memory, 48-year-old Burrell was remarkably free in using her name as he touted his wines.

He has also signed a merchandising deal to bring his range of china and glassware to stores across America, a brand which is also selling on American TV's Home Shopping Network.

Wearing enamel and silver cuff-links, which he told the watching crowd were a gift from the Princess, Burrell insisted she would have enjoyed his wine - failing to mention she had a renowned aversion to alcohol. He said: "I always say to ladies, "Go on, take the Royal Butler home with you ... after all, he knows best."'

He claimed he was happy mixing with 'ordinary' shoppers, saying: "That's some of the influence the Princess had on me. She always felt more comfortable on the factory floor than in the boardroom."

Burrell, who now lives in Orlando, said he launched his wine in America because 'if I'd launched in England it would have been an angle for the tabloid Press." He added: "They would have gone for me, saying I was cashing in on Diana's memory.

"I poured wines for the most famous people in the world. Why shouldn't I have my own label?"