The Prince and Princess of Wales are very hands-on parents to their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, but their nanny Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo also plays a fundamental role in raising the children, The Mirror reports. Borrallo joined the family in 2014, when George was an infant, and none of the three children will be able to remember life without her and her influence on their lives, commentators say.
And, though William and Kate have sought to give their trio as normal of an upbringing as possible, royal author Tom Quinn says “the huge pressure of royal tradition cannot be ignored,” meaning that the couple have also hired a nanny to help out. Royal commentator Pauline Maclaran says Borallo will help ground George, Charlotte, and Louis as they grow up, making sure they turn out to be well-rounded and balanced people when they’re older. William himself (as well as younger brother Prince Harry) grew up with a nanny they adored, Tiggy Legge-Bourke, who was a familiar face to royal fans watching the boys come of age in the 1990s.
“I think royal nannies play important roles in the lives of royal children,” Maclaren tells The Daily Express. “Apart from looking after their everyday needs and security, they can also offer a lot of support in developing the children’s cognitive and social skills.”
Because Borrallo is from Spain, George has learned “the basics” of Spanish—like counting to 10—and Charlotte has been introduced to it, as well.
“Importantly, too, they can offer important emotional support that ensures strong bonds will remain even when the children are adults,” Maclaren says.
George in particular, as heir to the throne, is being shaped now by his parents and Borrallo for how his future reign will unfold, says Dr. Ramya Mohan, a child and adolescent senior consultant developmental psychiatrist at Harley Street. “It starts now—from the focus on him during the Coronation to a lifetime of being in the public eye in a role with rich historical connotations, expectations, and gravitas,” Mohan says. “Needing to adapt in every aspect of his life in parallel with the pressure of being in the public eye in a more evident, scrutinized manner can feel like a tough tightrope walk on his own, despite access to the considerable, planned support and guidance one can expect.”
