Princess Diana was known for her “naughty” sense of humor, and she often played pranks on her two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. Now, a royal chef is reflecting on one particularly cheeky gift Diana organized for the Prince of Wales’s birthday one year, which was probably quite “embarrassing” for William.
Speaking exclusively to Heart Bingo, Darren McGrady—a Royal Family chef for 15 years—explained, “When I moved to Princess Diana[‘s home], it was much more relaxed.” Reflecting on the most unexpected item Princess Diana requested, McGrady explained, “I remember one of Prince William’s birthday cakes. I came into work and opened my refrigerator and there was a large box in there. I opened it, wondering who was using my refrigerator, and there was a large pair of women’s boobs.”
McGrady continued, “It was the cake Diana had bought for William. She’d thought he’d find this funny. She loved embarrassing William and it was a fantastic gift for him. He loved it, it went down really well.”
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Princess Diana with her sons, Harry and William.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
During the same interview, McGrady reminisced about working with Princess Diana, including her approach to celebrating birthdays. “Princess Diana was a people pleaser,” the former royal chef said. “She went out of her way for people. Whether it was buying a gift and wrapping it personally, and handing it over with a handwritten note—she always did that with birthday gifts. She did that with so many friends, including in the kitchen with me.”
In fact, Princess Diana always recognized McGrady’s birthday, proving how kind she was to members of staff, as well as family members. “Every year on my birthday she would come through with a beautiful gift,” McGrady recalled. “Usually it was a Hermès tie. It was really, really nice. I have about 7 of them. She was incredible like that, she always thought about friends.”
Darren McGrady, Princess Diana’s former royal chef.
(Image credit: Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for Britweek)
Unsurprisingly, Diana placed a lot of emphasis on Harry and William’s birthdays, and ensuring she could prioritize them. “For the princess and the boys, birthdays were about spending time together,” McGrady told the outlet. “She made sure that while they had the royal side with all the pomp and pageantry with Charles, they also got the ‘normal’ life with her.” The chef continued, “That meant a Saturday night treat was sitting in front of the television eating hamburgers and chips. That was a special treat for them.”
Of course, it seems likely that William will never forget the unexpected “boob” cake Princess Diana once surprised him with.
