Princess Diana is one of the most prominent figures in the history of the British royal family. Due to her controversial relationship with the Prince of Wales and the late King, she often found herself in the headlines.
With the festivities approaching, a report resurfaced on the Internet stating that the late Princess Diana did not like celebrating the holiday season with the Windsors. For several years now, members of the royal family have gathered at the Sandringham estate and hosted Christmas celebrations.
It was no different for the mother of two, but due to the complex dynamics of her relationships with other family members, she decided to stay away.
In addition to the difficult bonds with her in-laws, the former Spencer also had difficulty enjoying the season, as it reminded her of her own mother’s estrangement. The late princess’s parents were divorced, and custody of Diana and her siblings passed to her father.
With the courts closed for Christmas, the late princess’s mother could not fight for custody, nor could she meet her children on the festive day.
In her book Diana: The Last Word, Simon Simons revealed that “Christmas was always the worst time for Diana.” The excerpt continued, “The weather reminded him of his mother’s departure.”
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Presenting Diana’s mother’s perspective on the separation, Sally Bedell Smith wrote in her literary piece, Diana in Search of Self, “She (Diana and Charles) refused to return to me and refused to accept their permanent return. Applied to the court for Norfolk, and it was granted.”
It added, “The courts were closed for Christmas, and I couldn’t do anything… I was devastated.”
In an interview with the media portal, the former Princess of Wales opened up about her Christmas celebrations at Sandringham with her brother and father. “We were always sent to Sandringham for holidays,” she revealed.
Diana further said, “I used to go to watch the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. We hated it very much. I hated going there. It was always very awkward when we went there, and I would kick and hit anyone who forced us to go there, and daddy was the most insistent because it was rude.”
Princess Diana eventually married then-Prince Charles, and the former couple had two boys, Prince William and Prince Harry. The late princess used to attend Christmas celebrations with her family in the later stages of her life but she never enjoyed them to the fullest.
The iconic personality died in August 1997 after sustaining injuries in a car accident in Paris.
Also read: Princess Diana wanted to celebrate ‘her freedom’ after divorce from King Charles in 1994: Source
