The royal family is synonymous with their penchant for giving humorous gifts, but it’s safe to say that Princess Diana took it to a whole new level with a particularly awkward present she bestowed upon her son, Prince William. This quirky gesture even outshined Kate Middleton’s infamous “Grow Your Own Girlfriend” kit for Prince Harry. In a recent interview with Marie Claire, Diana’s loyal butler, Paul Burrell, revealed that following her separation from Prince Charles (now King Charles) in 1992, the princess ensured to spend quality time with her two sons during the holiday season. Knowing that her boys would be with their father, cousins, and the Queen on Christmas Day, Diana established a special tradition of exchanging stockings with her sons.
Burrell recounted how the weekend before Christmas became a cherished bonding time for Diana and her boys. The trio would retreat to the sitting room, and the sounds of joy and laughter reverberated through the palace walls. On one memorable occasion, the source of their amusement was a cheeky gift from Diana to William. Burrell shared, “Of course, Diana was very jokey and she would put rude things in there to embarrass them. William had a calendar one year with naked ladies on it just to make him blush, and it worked.”
Receiving a calendar adorned with nude women from your mother undoubtedly ranks high on the list of embarrassing gifts. However, William reportedly took the jest in good spirits, showcasing his good-natured demeanor. Burrell fondly reflected, “Lovely things like that happened,” underscoring the warmth and humor that characterized their holiday exchange.
While Diana may have successfully orchestrated the ultimate holiday prank that year, her first Christmas with the Windsors encountered a few bumps along the way. Unfamiliar with the royal family’s tradition of light-hearted gift-giving, Diana unintentionally breached protocol by presenting her new family members with lavish gifts. According to Diana’s biographer, Andrew Morton, the late princess was left feeling “mortified” after gifting Princess Anne a cashmere sweater only to receive a toilet paper holder in return.
Reflecting on the awkward situation, Diana confided in Morton about her experience at Sandringham during Christmas, expressing her discomfort with the formalities and tensions that permeated the royal holiday celebrations. She lamented, “I know I gave, but I can’t remember being a receiver. Isn’t that awful? I do all the presents, and Charles signs the cards. [It was] terrifying and so disappointing. No boisterous behavior, lots of tension, silly behavior, silly jokes that outsiders would find odd, but insiders understood.”
Despite the initial missteps and cultural clashes, Diana’s genuine intentions and playful spirit shone through in her gift-giving rituals. Her ability to infuse humor and personal touches into the holiday festivities left a lasting impression on her family, creating cherished memories that endure to this day. In a world where protocol and tradition often dictate.
