Ahead of Mothering Sunday, March 30, former royal butler Paul Burrell has chimed in on how Prince Harry and Prince William mark the day, after losing their mother when they were just 12 and 15.
28 years on from the tragic death of Diana, Burrell has reflected on what Mother’s Day was once like when Diana was alive.
Prince Harry and William’s Mother’s Day after death of Princess Diana
Speaking in an interview with Slingo, Paul Burrell, who served Princess Diana until her death in 1997, has described what the royals do on Mothering Sunday.
He explained that in general they don’t consider the day “a big celebration”, but Harry and William certainly “still think of their mother” on the occasion.
Burrell said of Mother’s Day with Diana, William and Harry: “Mother’s Day isn’t one of those big celebrations the royals enjoy. William and Harry did [celebrate] with their mother, and they would ensure they got something nice for her, as they did for her birthday and Christmas, and I was very involved in that.
“At Kensington Palace, we had a huge room filled with wrapping paper, ribbon, every colour you could think of and I was in charge of wrapping – I did incredible wrapping on everything!
They never forgot, their mother was paramount in their life.
“William and Harry would call me and say, ‘We need to get a present for mummy, we need to get her something nice, what should we get?’.
William and Harry’s Mother’s Day gifts to Princess Diana
“I would roll off a list of things they could get her. She loved Diptyque candles, they were throughout her rooms and she loved nothing more than taking a long soak in the bath and having these candles all around her bath. She also loved the essences from Aromatherapy Associates in Knightsbridge, she loved all those essences, so that was an easy gift for Diana.
“I would point the boys in the right direction, I would usually go shopping for them, wrap it up for them so they could give the present to their mother.”
Prince William and Harry’s Mother’s Days with Diana
The former butler went on to say: “They never forgot, their mother was paramount in their life. They always thought of her, always rang her, wrote to her and visa versa.
Her memory will never leave William and Harry.
“She did the same, filling their pockets with sweets, secretly, when she watched them play football or cricket. They’d come up to her and she’d fill their pockets with sweets, they weren’t allowed to do that really.
“She would always arrive loaded with sweets and chocolate. There was always a present ready for them to give her and they always thought of their mother. I’m sure they still think of their mother [on Mother’s Day], I still think of mine, so they must do too. Her memory will never leave William and Harry. “
