ROYAL EXCLUSIVE: The Bedtime Story Diana Read To William And Harry EVERY Christmas Eve

In the quiet moments of Christmas Eve, when the grandeur of royal life gave way to the warmth of family, Princess Diana would gather her two young sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, for a cherished tradition that transcended palaces and titles. No matter where they were—whether in the opulent halls of Kensington Palace or, later, in the more modest surroundings of her post-divorce home—she would read them a special bedtime story. This ritual, Diana once confided to a close friend, was her way of reminding William and Harry that she was, above all, their “Mum,” not just the Princess of Wales. The story, a carefully chosen tale, was a thread of continuity in their lives, a tradition that survived the crown and its complexities, weaving a bond that even her departure from royal life could not unravel.

A Tradition Born of Love

The bedtime story tradition began when William was a toddler and continued as Harry joined the family, becoming a Christmas Eve ritual that Diana held sacred. According to sources close to the late princess, including her former butler Paul Burrell, Diana was determined to give her sons a sense of normalcy despite their royal upbringing. She chose Christmas Eve for this tradition because it was a night steeped in magic and anticipation, a moment when the world slowed down, and she could be fully present with her boys. “She wanted them to feel her love, not her title,” Burrell recalled in a 2017 interview, noting that Diana saw the story as a way to ground William and Harry in their shared humanity.

The story itself, though its exact title remains a closely guarded family secret, was said to be a timeless children’s tale that emphasized love, kindness, and togetherness. Some speculate it was The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams, a story about a toy rabbit who becomes real through the power of love—a narrative that would have resonated deeply with Diana’s nurturing spirit. Others suggest it could have been a classic like The Snowman by Raymond Briggs, with its poignant themes of fleeting joy and connection, evoking the magic of Christmas. Whatever the story, Diana chose it for its emotional resonance, ensuring it spoke to her sons’ hearts rather than their royal roles.

A Mother’s Heart in Every Word

Diana’s dedication to this tradition was unwavering, even after her separation from Prince Charles in 1992 and her departure from Kensington Palace. While the divorce brought seismic changes to her life, stripping her of the HRH title and altering her place within the royal family, it did not diminish her commitment to her sons. She continued the Christmas Eve story ritual in her new home, a cozy apartment in Kensington, where she created a warm, inviting space for William and Harry. “It was her way of saying, ‘I’m still your Mum,’” a former aide shared in a 2021 documentary, Diana: Her True Story. “She wanted them to know that palaces or no palaces, some things never change.”

The act of reading to her sons was deeply personal for Diana. She would sit with William and Harry, often on a sofa or beside their beds, her voice bringing the story to life. According to letters she wrote to friends, later auctioned and reported by The Daily Mail in January 2025, Diana described how William would snuggle close, while Harry, ever the spirited one, would interrupt with questions or mimic the characters’ voices. “William adores his little brother & spends the entire time pouring an endless supply of hugs & kisses over Harry,” she wrote in a 1984 letter, capturing the warmth of those moments. These evenings were a sanctuary, a time when the weight of royal duties and public scrutiny melted away, leaving only a mother and her children.

A Story That Survived the Crown

The significance of this tradition lay in its simplicity and its defiance of the constraints of royal life. Diana, who often chafed against the rigid protocols of the monarchy, used the bedtime story to carve out a space where she could be herself—not the People’s Princess, not the global icon, but simply “Mum.” Even after her divorce, when tensions within the royal family were high and her public life was under intense scrutiny, she ensured that Christmas Eve remained a sacred time for her and her sons. “She’d tell them, ‘This is our story, just for us,’” a close friend revealed in a 2017 Express article, emphasizing how Diana used the ritual to reinforce her unbreakable bond with William and Harry.

The choice to continue the tradition post-palace was particularly poignant. After leaving Kensington Palace, Diana faced a new reality, one where she was no longer a working royal. Yet, she refused to let this change disrupt the traditions that mattered most to her sons. She would decorate her apartment with a small Christmas tree, light candles to create a cozy glow, and pull out the familiar book, its pages worn from years of love. For William and Harry, these moments were a reminder that their mother’s love was constant, no matter the circumstances. As Prince William later shared in the 2017 ITV documentary Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy, “She was the best mother in the world,” a sentiment echoed by Harry at her 10-year memorial.

A Legacy of Connection

The bedtime story tradition carried profound emotional weight for William and Harry, especially after Diana’s tragic death in 1997. Both princes have spoken about how their mother’s influence continues to shape their lives, and this Christmas Eve ritual is a touchstone of her enduring presence. In his 2023 memoir Spare, Prince Harry wrote about visiting Diana’s grave at Althorp on the 25th anniversary of her death, reflecting on how memories of her storytelling lingered. “I could still hear her voice, reading to us,” he wrote, describing the comfort those moments brought him.

William, too, has kept Diana’s memory alive through storytelling with his own children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. In a 2017 Express article, he revealed that he and Catherine often tell their children about “Granny Diana,” ensuring her presence is felt in their lives. While it’s unclear if William reads the same Christmas Eve story to his children, the spirit of the tradition—using stories to foster love and connection—lives on. Harry, meanwhile, has shared in interviews that he and Meghan tell stories to their children, Archie and Lilibet, often drawing on the warmth and empathy Diana instilled in him.

The Power of a Simple Tradition

Diana’s Christmas Eve bedtime story was more than a ritual; it was a testament to her belief that love could transcend the trappings of royalty. In a world of crowns, titles, and public expectations, she created a private haven where William and Harry could simply be her boys. The story, whatever it was, carried a message of love and resilience, qualities that Diana embodied and passed on to her sons. As she once told a friend, “Some traditions survive the crown because they come from the heart.” This tradition, rooted in her desire to be “Mum,” not just a princess, remains one of the most enduring gifts she gave her sons.

Today, as William and Harry navigate their separate paths, the memory of those Christmas Eve stories binds them to their mother’s legacy. It is a reminder that even in the face of loss and change, some traditions endure—not because of their grandeur, but because of the love they carry. For Diana, the bedtime story was her way of saying, “I’m here, always.” And for William and Harry, it remains a cherished echo of a mother’s voice, reading softly in the glow of a Christmas Eve night.