Princess Diana reportedly spent her last Christmas before her death apart from her sons Prince William and Prince Harry.
According to Diana’s former butler Paul Burrell, the late Princess of Wales had a “very quiet and lonely” in 1996. She died in August 1997 following a car accident in Paris, France.
Paul said that Diana wanted her young sons to spend time with their royal cousins at Sandringham.
Princess Diana had ‘lonely and quiet’ Christmas without William and Harry in 1996
Speaking to The Sun‘s Fabulous mag, Paul said: “Despite moments of joy, her birthday and Christmas Day were often her loneliest days of the year. Diana’s final Christmas was a very quiet and lonely one. Her Christmas Day was usually spent alone, as she gave up her boys.
“She always said, ‘Well, they need to be with their cousins and the royal family, because they’re royal princes.'”
Paul said William and Harry went to Sandringham, where the royal family usually spends Christmas, to spend it with their royal relatives.
He said Diana “sacrificed them” and her day was a “very quiet one”.
Diana ‘set off fire alarms at Kensington Palace’
Paul said Diana spent her last Christmas Day in Apartments 8 and 9 at Kensington Palace, enjoying a bath.
She told him to go home and unwrap presents and come back on Boxing Day.
Diana’s final Christmas was a very quiet and lonely one. Her Christmas Day was usually spent alone, as she gave up her boys.
However, shortly after Paul returned home, he received a call from Diana urging him to return as the fire alarms were going off. Paul explained that candles Diana had set up with her bath had set off the alarms in the palace.
Despite Paul managing to turn off the alarms, four fire engines turned up to the palace and Diana’s apartment.
Paul said she “stood there in her dressing gown having been in the bath before that” and she was “giggling away”.
Apparently Diana said “well, isn’t this a perfect Christmas morning” with “all these firemen on my doorstep”.
Royal family’s Christmas at Sandringham
The royal family typically spends Christmas at the Sandringham Estate each year.
This has been a lasting tradition since 1988. Prior to 1988, Christmases were spent at Windsor Castle. However, the castle was being rewired in 1988, meaning the royals had to go elsewhere for their Christmas celebrations.
Read more: Kate Middleton’s Together at Christmas carol service to feature ‘special duet’
Following Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September 2022, King Charles has upheld the tradition.
Another tradition he has kept is delivering a Christmas Day speech on December 25.
The king’s festive speech aired at 3pm on Christmas Day.
What do you think of this story? Let us know by leaving a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.