Working as a nanny to the Royal Family certainly comes with plenty of rules and guidelines. For Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, who's been employed by the Prince William and Princess Kate since Prince George was a baby, there's the extra pressure of helping raise the future king. It turns out there's a pretty innocuous word the royal nanny is prohibited from using—but it's not William and Kate's rule.
Borrallo is a Norland Nanny, meaning she was educated at the prestigious Norland College in Bath, England, where some of the most prestigious families in the world find their childcare help. Think Hogwarts meets Mary Poppins meets a James Bond academy—because these nannies don't just learn how to change diapers and sing lullabies.
Their training includes everything from defensive driving (to escape paparazzi when caring for royal and celebrity kids) to self-defense moves. But also included in their training is how to speak to their charges—and there's one word that's definitely "banned."
Louise Heren, author of Nanny in a Book, told the Mirror that Borrallo and other Norland Nannies cannot use a word that most parents (or nannies) probably say dozens of times a day.
"The word 'kid' is banned," Heren shared. "It's a mark of respect for the children as individuals."
Although she can't call George, Charlotte and Louis "kids," it sounds like life with the Wales family is fairly normal (or as close to normal as you can get) otherwise. Although Nanny Maria used to live with the family at Kensington Palace, Adelaide Cottage, where the Waleses moved in 2022, doesn't have room for live-in staff.
"I've spoken to nannies who have worked with other royal families and life is pretty normal," she shared. "You get up, have breakfast, you go to school and you wear your school uniform whether you like it or not. It would be quite like the average British school child."
Heren also called Princess Kate "very hands-on" with her kids...er, children...continuing, "I imagine her relationship with Maria is very close and they collaborate greatly on the care of the children."
The Norland expert previously told the Sun in 2019 that although Nanny Maria has a close relationship with the kids, "there will be no messing" about. "That’s because Maria will be aware that as they step off planes, holding mum’s hands, smiling and waving to the crowds, there can’t be any crying or terrible twos or tantrums," Heren added.
