Prince William and Prince Harry had some Christmas gifts taken away by the late Princess Diana as she was "very careful to ensure that they weren’t flooded with gifts".

According to her former bodyguard, Ken Wharfe, Diana would sometimes return gifts that people would send to them or donate them to charity.

Mr Wharfe explained that some gifts would show up for William and Harry from unknown sources.

He told OK!: "[The late Princess] Diana was very careful to ensure that they weren’t flooded with gifts – gifts did appear from unknown sources, and they were often returned or given to charity because they didn’t need them.

She was very conscious about what she bought as she knew the hallway at Sandringham would be full of presents."

Speaking of Diana's wish to not over spoil her sons, her biographer Andrew Morton once said: "She took the young royals with her on her private charity visits from a young age - one of the reasons was she didn't want the boys to grow up thinking the whole world was 4x4 Range Rovers, shotguns and nannies."

According to former royal butler Paul Burrell, one Christmas Diana - who was known to be a prankster within the Royal Family - bought her youngest son a very naughty stocking filler which he loved. He explained: "She'd spend hours looking for jokey things for their stockings. One year, Harry got fake dog poo."

This year, William and Harry will, once again, be spending Christmas Day thousands of miles apart. William wil be joining fellow royals - including King Charles and Queen Camilla - at the Sandringham estate with his young family.

Harry, who is no longer a senior working royal - will be spending Christmas Day in California with Meghan Markle and their two children.