The Prince and Princess of Wales are famously hands-on parents, but like many royal families before them, they rely on trusted professional support to help raise their three children. That crucial role has been filled since 2014 by Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, the live-in nanny to Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
The Norland Nanny's Strict Protocol
Maria Borrallo, who hails from Palencia in Spain, is a graduate of the world-renowned Norland College in Bath. The elite institution trains the very best professional childcare practitioners, and its rigorous protocols are strictly followed by its graduates. One such rule, revealed by author Louise Heren, is a ban on using the word "kids" when referring to children.
Heren, who wrote 'Nanny in a Book' and spent time at Norland researching a documentary, explained the reasoning to the Mirror. "The word kid is banned. It's a mark of respect for the children as individuals," she said. This principle of treating each child with the utmost respect is a cornerstone of the Norland ethos.
A Surprisingly Normal Home Life
Despite their global fame, the household at Kensington Palace and Adelaide Cottage aims to provide Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis with a grounded upbringing. According to Heren, who has spoken to nannies from other royal families, daily life is remarkably routine.
"You get up, have breakfast, you go to school and you wear your school uniform whether you like it or not," she described. "It would be quite like the average British school child." This normality is bolstered by the close collaboration between the Princess of Wales and Maria Borrallo. "Given what we have seen of Catherine when she is out in public, she's very hands-on. I imagine her relationship with Maria is very close," Heren added.
Continuing a Royal Tradition of Languages
Beyond maintaining discipline and routine, Maria Borrallo is also imparting her native language to the young Waleses. She has been teaching them Spanish, a fact the Princess of Wales proudly shared during a farm visit in 2017, noting that a three-year-old Prince George could already count to ten in Spanish.
This continues a strong family tradition of multilingualism. While the late Queen and King Charles were accomplished linguists, Prince William is reportedly fluent in French, German, and Spanish, and can also speak Welsh, Gaelic, and Swahili. The royal children are therefore being raised in an environment that values global communication and cultural appreciation.
Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, who began her role when Prince George was just a few months old, remains a constant and discreet figure in the children's lives. Her adherence to Norland's strict standards, from vocabulary to values, plays a significant part in shaping the childhoods of the future king and his siblings.
