Home / PRINCESS DIANA

Diana's Chef Reveals the Bizarre Cake She Gave William on His 13th Birthday: 'He Went Bright Red'

William, who was undoubtedly caught off guard, reacted as any teenager might, the chef revealed.

untitled design
Princess Diana and Prince William at home in Kensington Palace. (Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Tim Graham Photo Library)

Princess Diana, renowned for her elegance and kindness, also had a cheeky sense of humor, particularly when it came to her children. On Prince William’s 13th birthday, the Princess decided to prank her firstborn with a rather risque birthday cake that left him both embarrassed and amused. Diana obtained a 'b**b cake' to mark William's milestone, which led to the teenage boy turning the brightest shade of red.

Diana, Princess of Wales (1961 - 1997) with her son Prince William on his brother Prince Harry's first day at Mrs Mynors' nursery school in London, September 1987. (Image Source: Getty Images | Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive)
Diana, Princess of Wales (1961 - 1997) with her son Prince William on his brother Prince Harry's first day at Mrs Mynors' nursery school in London, September 1987. (Image Source: Getty Images | Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive)

Darren McGrady, who served as Diana’s personal chef for several years, recounted the memorable moment in an interview with HELLO!. “I came into work that morning and went down to the refrigerator, opened the door, and I was just confronted with the biggest pair of b**bs I’ve ever seen in my life,” McGrady recalled. He exclaimed, “The Princess had ordered a b**b cake for William’s 13th birthday."

William, who was undoubtedly caught off guard, reacted as any teenager might. “He just went bright red,” McGrady revealed. While the young Prince stood embarrassed by his mother's odd gesture, his younger brother, Prince Harry, was delighted by it. Harry allegedly enjoyed the cake so much that he immediately asked his mother for one of his own. As McGrady said, Diana always enjoyed pranking those around her in the 'nicest way.' He shared, “Whether it was telling a dirty, risqué joke — which usually got me.”

Image Source: Getty Images | Anwar Hussein
Princess Diana and young Prince William seated at a table. (Image Source: Getty Images | Anwar Hussein)

Similarly, Diana on one occasion invited a group of supermodels — Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, and Christy Turlington — over to Kensington Palace. When young William arrived home from school and saw the models sitting there, his reaction was a mix of surprise and embarrassment. “I was probably a 12 or 13-year-old boy who had posters of them on his wall. And I went bright red and didn’t know what to say and sort of fumbled,” William later recalled in a documentary. “I pretty much fell down the stairs on the way up. I was completely and utterly sort of awestruck. But that was a very funny memory.”

Her sense of humor didn’t stop with birthday cakes or surprise visits from supermodels. Diana had a particular fondness for buying her children joke presents. One Christmas, Diana allegedly bought Harry fake dog poo as a prank gift, former royal butler Paul Burrell once shared. Harry, inheriting his mother’s love for practical jokes, later planned to trick his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. According to royal author, Bryan Kozlowski, Harry recorded a voicemail message on the Queen's phone that said, “This is Liz! Sorry, I’m away from the throne. For a hotline to Philip, press one; for Charles, press two; for the corgis, press three.”

William, too, is known to have a wicked sense of humor. Claire Jones, the harpist who played at Harry's reception at Buckingham Palace, revealed that William teased his younger brother, saying, “Thank goodness Claire turned up to play the harp because otherwise, we’d have to get my brother to play it instead," as per Woman & Home.

GET BREAKING ROYAL NEWS
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

More Stories

Meghan Markle has often drawn parallels with her late mother-in-law, and her recent Instagram post has triggered another such wave.
By Ira Deokule · AUG 5, 2026
Meghan Markle's Portugal holiday photos are winning hearts, with her stylish beachwear sparking comparisons with Princess Diana.
By Andrea Cutinho · JUL 24, 2026
The newly shared photos show the family stayed at Princess Diana's childhood home, Althorp House, rather than in a royal home.
By Medha Sengupta · JUL 24, 2026
Kate Middleton is a style icon in her own right, but she may be on her way to create a legacy like her mother-in-law, Princess Diana.
By Ira Deokule · JUL 15, 2026
At the Wimbledon men's singles final, Charlotte looked chic in a Jenny Packham cornflower blue dress with butterfly flap sleeves.
By Medha Sengupta · JUL 14, 2026
Prince Harry and his family celebrate Princess Diana's memory with the sweetest tradition!
By Mehak Walia · JUL 14, 2026
Harry recently appeared on a podcast and opened up about the parenting lesson he still carries from Princess Diana.
By Medha Sengupta · JUL 14, 2026
Charles Spencer's latest throwback photo offers another touching glimpse of the close bond he shared with his late sister.
By Andrea Cutinho · JUL 10, 2026
Princes William and Harry may share the same mother, but royal editor Richard Kay believes Diana's legacy has become a source of contention.
By Andrea Cutinho · JUL 3, 2026
Princess Diana's primary concern for a major shuffle in her life was for her two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.
By Ira Deokule · JUN 30, 2026