Queen's New Year tradition that left Princess Diana in 'agony'

Pre-pandemic era, Queen Elizabeth used to enjoy throwing parties for family on special occasions, the New Year's eve being one of them.

However, as per royal expert and author of ‘At Home with the Queen’, Brian Hoey, Princess Diana used to be quite irritated by late-night sittings with her in-laws.

Royal family famous game, the 'lucky dip' involves a footman bringing in a tub filled with sawdust and a series of hidden notes, all of which contain written predictions for the year ahead.

At midnight, after the Queen leaves for bed, other royal members are then allowed to do the same, a tradition while agonised Diana.

“For Diana the long royal evenings were agony," says Brian.

“There’d be an hour or so in the sitting room of everyone sitting around making conversation, and nobody felt it right to go to bed before the Queen did.

“And Diana was driven to such extremes that she’d excuse herself and go to bed, which was thought to be rather bad form, going to bed before the Queen," he concluded.