The Royal Family is known for its love of gag gifts, with the late Queen Elizabeth proudly sporting a singing Billy Bass fish and a shower cap that read “ain't life a bitch” for years. And Princess Diana, who may have failed to bring an expensive gift to her first Christmas celebration with the royal family, apparently pulled off the ultimate and extremely awkward Christmas prank one year.

Princess Diana's longtime butler, Paul Burrell, told Marie Claire that the late Princess had “spent the previous weekend with Harry and William” when it came to celebrating the holidays on behalf of Spin Ginny after she left Prince Charles (now King Charles) .

“She knew she had to be with her father, her cousins and the Queen on Christmas Day,” Burrell explains. This former royal staffer, who once worked for Queen Elizabeth, says that Diana “helped make stockings for William and Harry, and then William would whisper in my ear and ask what Mom wanted in her Christmas stocking.”

Burrell says, “The weekend before Christmas, the three of them would disappear into the living room and I would hear them squealing and laughing.” After all, one year Princess Diana decided to be a little naughty with her presents. And the cause of those “squeals”? Believe me, you can't imagine.

“Of course, Diana was very joking and would include rude things to annoy them,” the author of A Royal Duty tells Marie Claire.

Getting a girly calendar from his mother is probably the most embarrassing gift for a boy, but Prince William seemed to take it all in good humor. Says Burrell, “Such a lovely thing happened, and they [William and Harry] spent Christmas with [the other royals].” Princess Diana was to spend Christmas alone, he added.

As for the rest of the royal Christmas celebrations at Kensington Palace, the former butler says, “There was a huge silver and white Christmas tree on the steps of apartments 8 and 9 at Kensington Palace, extending halfway up the stairs.”

He says that the “20-foot Christmas tree” was “brought from the Windsor Estate” and that Burrell “always made a special effort” on the front door.

“Years later I would go into floral arranging, and I was interested in that even then,” he told Marie Claire, “and I always had a huge garland hanging on the front door and side.” The greenery was trimmed with “dried roses and oranges and cinnamon sticks and red velvet ribbons” and looked “very Victorian.”

Of course, Queen Victoria was one of Kensington Palace's most famous residents, so the vintage-inspired decor seemed perfect for this setting. Adds Burrell, “It was perfect for the entrance to Kensington Palace, and Princess Diana loved it.”

As for the slick calendar, we don't know if Victoria would approve.