Princess Diana Said Christmas With the Royals Was 'Terrifying'

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Between her bombshell Panorama interview and working with Andrew Morton on her biography, the late Princess Diana never tried to hide her true thoughts about the royal family. And with the holiday season now in full swing, people are looking back on what Diana said about celebrating Christmas with the royals — an event that she once described as “terrifying.”

The royals celebrate Christmas at Sandringham each year.

This royal tradition was particularly important to the late Queen Elizabeth, but it carries on still to this day. During Diana’s marriage to then-Prince Charles, she attended their country estate with her royal in-laws for the holiday, though she did eventually stop going after their divorce. And given what she said the experience was like for her, it’s no wonder she was so ready to opt out.

She admitted that she 'hated' celebrating Christmas with the royals.

According to what Andrew wrote in his book Diana: Her True Story, she hated going to Sandringham from her first Christmas as a member of the royal family, which took place just months after her 1981 wedding to Charles.

It certainly sounds like she got off on the wrong foot; she said she was “mortified” to discover that no one had told her about the royals’ tradition of giving each other gag gifts, and she’d shown up with presents she thought each member of the family would sincerely enjoy.

Diana called the experience 'highly fraught.'

“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,” she admitted. “No boisterous behavior, lots of tension, silly behavior, silly jokes that outsiders would find odd, but insiders understood.”

Those who knew Diana have shared similar stories.

As People reported, Diana’s former hairdresser Richard Dalton emphasized that Diana “just hated” Sandringham while talking to Kitty Kelly for The Royals.

“She told me it was freezing cold and dinner had to be over by 3 o’clock. ‘It’s 3 and time to watch me on TV,’ she’d say, imitating you-know-who,” he said, referencing Queen Elizabeth. “The royal family had to watch the Queen’s Christmas message on television. Diana said it was a command performance.”

The royals plan to celebrate at Sandringham again this year.

Prince William and Kate Middleton — Ben Birchall-WPA Pool/Getty Images

After Kate Middleton and King Charles each faced cancer battles of their own this year, it wouldn’t be surprising if their celebrations are a bit more low key. But there’s no chance we’ll miss out on seeing the royals at their country estate on their traditional walkabout come Christmas morning.

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