Princess Diana was not a fan of Balmoral Castle, the Scottish royal estate, according to former royal chef Darren McGrady. Speaking to Smooth Spins Casino, McGrady said Diana "wasn't an outdoor person" and disliked the estate's rural lifestyle.
Diana's preference for city life
McGrady explained that Diana avoided horse riding because she had fallen off a horse as a child. "It wasn't her – she wasn't an outdoor person or into horse riding because she fell off a horse when she was young," he said.
He added that her closest contact with horses was walking with her son Prince William and his Shetland pony, Smokey, around the estate. "That was as close as she got to the horses. She would rather have been at Kensington, where she could go to Harvey Nichols shopping or lunch with friends. She loved all that," McGrady said.
Clash with royal routines
The chef also noted that Diana's daily schedule clashed with royal traditions. "The Princess was also an early bird, so she liked to get up early, around 7am, then be in bed at 8pm at the latest," he said. "Dinner for her was 6:30pm, but if the royal family were dining, she couldn't go to eat or go to bed at her usual time. They would often go out to the hills and didn't come back until 11pm at night. She didn't like Balmoral at all."
Current royal summer at Balmoral
King Charles started his official summer stay at Balmoral this week. Over the coming weeks, he will welcome various members of the Royal Family, including Prince William, Princess Catherine, and their three children. Other expected guests include Prince Edward, Duchess Sophie, Lady Louise, James Wessex, Peter Phillips, Harriet Phillips, and Mike and Zara Tindall.
Queen Camilla was seen shopping near Balmoral days ago with her family, including her daughter Laura Lopes, suggesting they are also guests at the estate this summer.
