She made the revelation in a letter to her friend.
The act of exchanging gifts during Christmas—a time for joy, sharing, gratitude—reminds us that the future is hopeful and love is always there in abundance. As Christmas is getting closer, not only children but adults too are yearning to unwrap their gifts from their friends and family. One such adult who waited as eagerly to unwrap her Christmas gifts was Princess Diana.
"A parcel of any shape or form has never been safe with me," Diana wrote in a 1985 letter to a friend, according to PEOPLE. But, here's where things get interesting. Princess Diana was not the only one in the family who had no patience when it came to knowing what's inside a gift. Her eldest son, Prince William, was like that, too.
"And I fear that William has also picked up this dreadful habit from his mother, as I find wrapping paper undone in the most extraordinary places," she added in the letter.
For the royal family, Christmas has always been an occasion to gather around and celebrate. They also make sure to include the public who loved and adored them in their holiday routine. Diana and Prince Charles made sure to include plenty of fun along with royal duties—to make things bearable for their two sons—such as walking to church while greeting the public, which the boys began to do at ages 6 and 4, respectively.
In a 1990 letter, Princess Diana shared how much her sons adored the holiday. "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, according to Independent.
Unfortunately, Princess Diana's last Christmas before her death was in 1996, but Prince William was not with her to rip apart the wrappings on the presents. You see, it had just been a while since her divorce to Prince Charles had been finalized, and while her sons and her ex-husband spent the festive season with Queen Elizabeth at her beloved Sandringham Palace, Diana spent it all alone.
She even made sure her staff got the day off, instead of waiting on her because Christmas was a time to spend with loved ones. That was Diana's last Christmas ever, before her death in August 1997.
Even though it's been over 24 years since Prince William and Prince Harry were left without a mother, they still carry her memories with them all the time. After all, she still plays a pivotal role in shaping those two boys to become the men they are today; graceful and elegant, with huge hearts.
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Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Daily Express | Hulton Archive
