One Royal Sent Princess Diana Flowers "Without Fail" on Her Birthday—"Every Year Until Her Death"—Says Former Royal Employee

"Her apartment resembled a florist's shop and every conceivable surface was covered with cards."

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Blonde Princess Diana wears a black Jacques Azagury dress and emerald jewels and receives bunches of flowers and a heart balloon on her 36th Birthday on July 1, 1997 at the Tate in London
(Image credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

Princess Diana quickly became a beloved member of the Royal Family after marrying King Charles on July 29, 1981. Unsurprisingly, the former Princess of Wales was inundated with gifts every year on her birthday—including from one unexpected royal.

In his book, A Royal Duty, former royal butler Paul Burrell reflected on Princess Diana's birthday celebrations throughout the years.

"If the princess dreaded July 1, so did her butler," Burrell joked. "I would be running up and down those stairs for hours on end. A delivery from Selfridges, from Harrods, from the royal grocers Fortnum & Mason, from Harvey Nichols."

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Despite announcing her separation from King Charles in December 1992, one member of the Royal Family always celebrated Princess Diana's birthday, according to Burrell.

"And then, without fail, a bunch of flowers from Prince Charles who addressed every letter and card he sent, every year until her death, 'Dearest Diana,'" the royal butler revealed.

Princess Diana waving in a red and green blazer

"Red roses arrived from friends. Then white flowers—tulips from Elton John and more roses from Gianni Versace."

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Of course, King Charles wasn't the only person to send Princess Diana gifts every year on her birthday.

"24 long-stemmed yellow roses, boxed from Edward Goodyear, the florist in Mayfair, from a secret admirer the world never got to know about," Burrell revealed. "Red roses arrived from friends. Then white flowers—tulips from Elton John and more roses from Gianni Versace."

The former butler continued, "All her female friends sent flowers or presents. At the police box, well-wishers left cards, presents, and flowers. By the end of the day, [her apartment] resembled a florist's shop and every conceivable flat surface was covered with cards."

Prince Charles and Princess DIana in Maitland, New South Wales, Diana is wearing a dress by Catherine Walker, March 29, 1983

"[W]ithout fail, a bunch of flowers from Prince Charles who addressed every letter and card he sent, every year until her death, 'Dearest Diana.'"

(Image credit: John Shelley Collection/Avalon/Getty Images)

Basically, it sounds as though Princess Diana was shown a lot of love on her birthday from everyone around her.

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Amy Mackelden
Amy Mackelden
Weekend Editor

Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.