The Heartbreaking Way Princess Diana Spent Her Last Christmas

Princess Diana reportedly loved the holidays and especially enjoyed watching her two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, take part in all of the festivities. 

According to People, Diana once wrote a letter to a friend in 1990 about how her sons were eager for Christmas fun. "The boys are thrilled at the prospect of Christmas on the horizon and have searched high and low for any parcels that might be coming their way!" she wrote. In another holiday letter from 1990, the princess ​admitted that she loved to open gifts and couldn't control herself around a present, revealing that William seemed to inherit that trait from her.

However, Diana also ensured that her sons weren't spoiled during the holiday season. According to Express, Diana was "cautious" about what she gifted her sons and would usually only buy them "small items." In addition, she often preferred that the boys donated many of the lavish gifts they received to those less fortunate.

Sadly, it seems that Diana's final Christmas, before her death in 1997, wasn't anything to write home about. One of the royal's former staffers claims that Diana's final celebration was actually heartbreaking.

According to Express, royal chef Darren McGrady opened up about Diana's "sad" final Christmas following her divorce from Prince Charles. 

McGrady revealed that, after ending her marriage, Diana was no longer obligated to spend the holidays at Sandringham with the royal family, but her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, did attend the family's celebration with their father. That meant Diana was alone on Christmas Eve.

"It was always pretty sad when you worked with the Princess on Christmas Eve," the chef admitted. McGrady went on to reveal that Diana would dismiss her staff so that they could enjoy the holidays. 

"She insisted that the staff spend time with their families for Christmas and that we leave the food in the refrigerator," he said, adding that the staff would prepare meals for Diana to reheat during the holidays.

However, Diana's holidays at Sandringham weren't much better, says McGrady. "You just couldn't get away," he said. "You came out of the dining room and you couldn't go into the sitting room because there were three or four people in there playing charades or Scrabble or something. She would go off for a walk on her own and often I would bump into her when she was out walking. So, I think that's probably what she wasn't keen on."