Who raised the monarchs: 8 nannies of the heirs of the British royal family

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Unfortunately, children of royal families often see their parents much less often than they would like. Most often, they take their first steps or speak their first words in the presence of their nannies, who, unlike members of the royal family who are busy with their duties, are inseparably close to the young heirs. Some nannies became close people to their pupils, while others were remembered by the princes for their enduring torment and even bullying.

Unknown tormentor

The parents of the future King George VI were more concerned with the fate of the country than with the upbringing of their children. They invited for their sons, Eduard and Georg, as it seemed to them, the best nanny. History has not preserved the name of this woman, but it is known that the nanny allowed herself to mock her pupils. This unknown tormentor left a deep mark on the soul of the youngest child of the royal couple, who was later destined to become King George VI. Until the end of his days, he recalled how painful the moments were when the parents appeared to pick up the boy. The nanny specially pinched the baby so that he would start crying, and the monarch and his wife took children's tears for the son's unwillingness to part with his nanny. She deprived George of food for misconduct and even starved him. Historians tend to think of George VI's stuttering and digestive problems as a consequence of those childhood traumas.

Charlotte Bill

Later, George V and Maria Tekskaya learned about what was happening with the children, and Charlotte Bill, who was performing the duties of a nurse with the heirs, notified them of this. It was she who was appointed as the nanny of the sons. Since Lalla appeared next to Edward and Georg, as they affectionately called their new nanny, their life has changed a lot. Charlotte really cared about the boys, was very kind to them, always knew how to captivate them with interesting things, and besides, she had a very valuable gift for the royal nanny: she never spoke about what was happening within the walls of the palace and was always very devoted to her employers.

Marion Crawford

Little Lilibet, and later her sister Margaret, was cared for by a Scottish nanny, Marion Crawford. For two decades, she was next to the pupils and left the service only after the marriage of Elizabeth to Prince Philip in 1947. That year, Marion herself married a bank clerk, George Bootley. At the same time, she was launched into a real hunt by American publishers, who persuaded the former nanny to talk about her work in the royal family.

Elizabeth II, having learned about this, wrote a letter to her former nanny asking not to succumb to temptation and not to spread information about the private life of the family. But the request of the pupil was not heard. At the insistence of her husband, Marion still first published an article for the Ladies's Home Journal, and then - a book of memoirs "Little Princesses". The royal family, deeply offended by the former nanny's act, broke off all relations with her. Subsequently, Marion Crawford even tried to commit suicide, unable to endure the removal from those whom she loved. She ended her days in 1988 in a nursing home, and those to whom she dedicated 20 years of her life did not even send a funeral wreath to her grave.

Mabel Anderson

Prince Charles' nannies were Mabel Anderson and Helen Lightbody. The heir of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip was especially attached to the first, since it was she who was with him almost inseparably, while my mother devoted one day a week to the children, when the nanny had a day off, and she certainly visited them in the morning and in the evening. Helen Lightbody did not serve in the family for a very long time, because for some reason she did not like Prince Philip, but Mabel Anderson was involved in the upbringing of Charles, Anna, Andrew and Edward. It was Mabel who later wanted to see Prince Charles as William's nanny, but his wife found the woman too old and adhering to too traditional views on raising children.

Barbara Barnes

When Mabel Anderson was rejected, Barbara Barnes was recruited as William's nanny. She was an excellent specialist and truly loved her pupil. But Diana found William's, and then Harry's, attachment to the nanny excessive and terminated the contract with Barbara when the eldest son went to school.

Jesse Webb

After Barbara left, for some time, Ruth Wallace was involved in the upbringing of William and Harry, who could not come to terms with the increased attention to herself from the press and the public. She was replaced by Jesse Webb, a former interior designer. Cheerful and open, she was able to quickly get along with the heirs of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, moreover, she did not treat them like princes, but simply loved them like ordinary children. Unfortunately, her parenting methods were at odds with Princess Diana's ideas, and the moment came when the nanny and Lady Dee stopped even talking to each other.

Olga Powell

At first she was a deputy nanny, and then became the main governess. Olga came into the family when Prince William reached the age of six months and remained a part of the life of both of Lady Dee's sons for a very long time. She was strict with them, but fair, consoled the boys after the divorce of their parents and after the death of Princess Diana. Even after being fired, the princes invited Olga Powell to all the significant events in their lives.

Alexandra "Tiggy" Legge-Burke

Young elementary school teacher Tiggy became an older sister for the boys immediately after the divorce of Charles and Lady Dee. The playful Legge-Burke seems to have enjoyed interacting with the princes herself and even embroiled them in adventures like descending a 160-foot dam or shooting rabbits from the cockpit of a Land Rover that she herself drove. Lady Dee desperately hated Tiggy, believing that she got the position thanks to her "informal" relationship with Prince Charles. William and Harry were very attached to Tiggy. This is evidenced by the fact that Harry became the godfather of her eldest son Fred, and William - the second son of Tom.

The current Queen of Great Britain ascended the throne after the sudden death of her father George VI. Outwardly, all decency was observed, the coronation was carried out, but no one even guessed what passions were boiling outside the walls of Buckingham Palace outside the public eye. As revealed by royal biographer Christopher Warwick, the queen mother was not too happy to see her daughter on the throne.