Real reason Lindsay Lohan was in London for NYE revealed!

Remember earlier this week when we were talking about Lindsay Lohan, and I said how surprised I was she was in London for NYE? It just didn’t make sense to me. Why wouldn’t she stay here, party here, like she always does? Well today we’re learning that Lindsay was in London, because she was paid $100,000 to ATTEND a NYE party thrown by Brunei’s Prince Azim. Now it all makes sense.

Now we know why Lindsay Lohan broke her promise to stay in for a quiet New Year’s Eve and instead — with her mom in tow — went partying in London. Cold hard cash.

She collected at least $100,000 to celebrate with Brunei’s Haji Abdul Azim. Known worldwide as Prince Azim, he throws some of the wildest, most lavish bashes ever, topped off with gift bags stuffed with expensive party favors like iPads and jewelrydripping with diamonds.

Lohan, who claimed to be planning a dinner at home on Monday night, had the party on her schedule for a while, says an insider.

“Prince Azim not only flew her out; he put her up in a beautiful suite in the Dorchester for the weekend and following the party. Her mom, Dina, is also in London with her at the hotel and attended the party,” says the source.

Azim, son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, is third in line to throne of the small, Southeast Asian nation.

The insider tells us the 30-year-old, celebrity-obsessed prince also paid Lionel Ritchie a whopping $250,000 to come sing for him and Pamela Anderson, a favorite, to come show herself off for $75,000 at the crazy bash, which he holds annually in the 10,300-square-foot ballroom at the five-star Dorchester in Mayfair. Azim’s sister, the gorgeous Princess Fadzilah, also buddied up to Lohan at the party.

“He rents the ballroom and does this for his amusement,” says our source. “He rents the ballroom and pays stars to show up. Lindsay went because she’s that desperate for a paycheck.”

In June, Azim threw himself a massive 30th birthday bash at the Dorchester. That time, he flew in his celeb flavors of the month, including Mariah Carey, Chace Crawford, Raquel Welch, Marisa Tomei and Dionne Warwick, who performed a few songs. In 2009, the billionaire prince’s holiday gathering was proclaimed party of the year by the British press.

Lohan’s father, Michael, told Confidenti@l that he didn’t think his daughter’s appearance for money was a good idea: “Now she’s getting paid for dates?”