9 strict rules royal nannies must never break under any circumstances

One colloquial word that must not be used around the royal children is the term ‘kids’. Historian and writer Louise Heren told The Mirror that youngsters must not be referred to by this term. Instead, the royal nanny must only call them ‘children’ or address them by their names. Louise added that this rule is a “mark of respect” for the children as individuals.

If the children refuse to eat their five-a-day, the royal nanny must still take a positive approach to mealtimes. In 2021, a spokesperson for Norland College said: “As an adult, it is important to always use positive language surrounding food in front of children. By saying that you don’t like a particular food in earshot of your little ones, you risk them absorbing that information and also taking on that behaviour.” So you can’t go around saying you hate vegetables!

It’s never been a secret that Kate and William are pretty strict about their children having mobile phones and social media, and the same goes for the royal nanny. Royal expert Katie Nicholl told OK! Magazine how screen time is managed when the parents aren’t there: “The emphasis during this time will be on arts and crafts, painting, and doing things that aren’t screen-orientated. Kate is usually very strict on screen time and keeps it to a minimum.” I agree with this rule, as children these days are far too glued to their screens!

Possibly the rule that would go down least well with the children is an early bedtime. According to Nanny in a Book author Louise Heren, they have a curfew of 7pm every evening. However, as they get older, there could be exceptions to this rule – the young royals have previously been spotted staying up late for special events, such as King Charles’s Coronation Concert.

As part of their official training, nannies are taught that any physical punishment of children is strictly banned. Louise Heren told The Mirror that nannies learn “the child is never naughty, but the behaviour is.” Any breach of this rule, one would assume, means instant dismissal, so it’s pretty unbreakable.

There’s an easy way to tell who the children’s nanny is: if they are a Norland nanny, then there’s a very specific dress code. This involves quite a plain outfit of a knee-length beige dress, tweed coat, brown bowler hats and white gloves. While not the most stylish fit, it’s a practical, distinguishable uniform that keeps them looking formal on a job. And if working in a palace then one definitely needs to look smart!

Knowing this rule proves that one should never mess with a royal nanny, as they are trained in self-defence. Due to the high security involved in potentially working with royals or celebrities, Norland nannies receive training during college from a 7th-degree black belt in taekwondo. They even practise with buggies to simulate real-life scenarios, making them true super-nannies!

Royal nannies must try not to engage with the press or media to avoid gossip. While it’s not known if this is a rule enforced specifically by Kate and William, there is a history of this happening within the royal family. Marion Crawford, former royal governess to then-Princess Elizabeth, worked for the family from 1933 to 1949. Upon leaving, she wrote a ‘tell-all’ book called The Little Princesses, detailing her time with them. One can imagine this didn’t go down well, proving it’s best to keep your work and private life separate!

Another strict household rule is that nannies are not allowed to raise their voices or shout at the children. In an interview with The Telegraph, Norland training director Julia Gaskell said that nannies from the college refrain from raising their voices with their charges: “We wouldn’t want our Norlanders to shout at children.” So one must assume this applies to the royal nanny too, keeping a nice, quiet household in check!