Lifestyle

The Secret Role of Princess Kate’s Nanny at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Wedding

Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, the nanny to the children of the Prince and Princess of Wales, has been a dedicated member of the family’s staff since 2014. She was recently recognized for her service in the New Year Honours list with a Royal Victorian Medal (Silver), thanks to her many duties, which range from caring for the children to preparing their meals.

Her Special Responsibility

Among her many responsibilities, there was one special task she handled during Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in 2018 that went unnoticed. Besides looking after Prince George and Princess Charlotte, Maria also had to care for one of the other bridesmaids, two-year-old Zalie Warren, Prince Harry’s goddaughter and the child of Jake and Lady Zoe Warren. Zalie was the youngest member of the bridal party.

At the ceremony, the nanny was seen comforting little Zalie, who appeared overwhelmed by the occasion and was seen crying. Big occasions can be quite a lot for a toddler to handle! Meghan’s bridal party consisted entirely of children: hers and Prince Harry’s godchildren, with Princess Charlotte and Prince George as flower girl and page boy, respectively.

The Wedding Details

The wedding took place on Saturday, May 19, 2018, at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. It was attended by many guests, including the late Queen, Prince William, and Princess Kate, who made her first official appearance since welcoming Prince Louis three weeks beforehand.

Maria Teresa’s Prestigious Training

The nanny studied at the prestigious Norland College in Bath, where she learned many rules about looking after children, especially around food and eating. The educational institution is the world’s oldest of its kind and is famous for its hands-on education for professional nannies like Maria.

Norland nanny Louenna Hood spoke about the food rules that she learned while studying there, which Maria likely also learned. These rules may inform her approach to feeding Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis to prevent them from becoming fussy eaters.

Eat together: This is so important! If you sit there watching your child eat with nothing to do yourself, it creates massive pressure on them and increases your anxiety. If they see the adults around them eating the same foods, it will encourage them to try different things.
Get your child to help in the kitchen. They love to eat fresh food that they have prepared.
Offer small, manageable portions so your child isn’t put off or overwhelmed.
Don’t let mealtimes become a battle. If they feel you are getting frustrated, it will fuel them to create more of a fuss. Keep your voice calm and controlled, and tell them to try and eat what they can.
Set some simple rules. Children always have to try everything, even if it’s just one bite. Then, after tasting it, if they don’t like it, don’t make a fuss or remove it from their plate; they just leave it on the side and eat the rest of the meal.
If your children absolutely refuse to eat vegetables, try blending steamed vegetables and adding them to sauces. Recipe ideas include macaroni cheese with hidden cauliflower, tomato pasta sauce filled with hidden vegetables, and homemade burgers with grated apple, carrot, courgette, red pepper, and onion.