The nanny to the children of the Prince and Princess of Wales, Maria Borrallo, becomes the star of the show at Windsor Castle today.
Maria Borrallo is set to receive the Royal Victorian Medal (Silver) at the investiture being held at the castle.
Ms Borrallo is being recognised for her services to the Prince and Princess of Wales.
She has been nanny to the Wales family since soon after the arrival of their first child, Prince George, in 2013.
Since then, the family has grown to include Princess Charlotte, born in 2015, and Prince Louis, who arrived in 2018.
Now, she will be taking centre stage herself at Windsor Castle as she receives her honour.
The recognition was announced in the New Year’s Honours list at the end of 2025.
The Royal Victorian Medal (Silver) is part of the Royal Victorian Order (RVO), which is unlike many other honours in the British system. It is not granted on the advice of government ministers nor scrutinised by independent committees. Instead, it is given entirely at the discretion of the reigning monarch, making it a direct and personal expression of royal gratitude.
Established by Queen Victoria in 1896, the order was created to recognise those who had rendered exceptional personal service to the sovereign or members of the royal family – often over many years, and frequently away from public view.
And that’s exactly what Maria Borrallo has been recognised for. Over the past twelve years, she has operated discreetly in the background of one of the world’s most scrutinised households, shepherding royal children through their earliest years with calm authority and near-total anonymity.
One of the few times she was seen in an almost public role was at the christening of Princess Charlotte. When the now third in line to the throne was baptised, in July 2015, Maria was on hand to support the young family as Kate settled her baby in the vintage pram outside the Church of St. Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham estate. Maria Borrallo also looked after Prince George, then two, as the family got ready to make the walk back to the main house at Sandringham to celebrate Charlotte’s christening.
Trained at the prestigious Norland College in Bath – the elite institution whose graduates are famed for their blend of traditional discipline and modern childcare expertise – Maria Borrallo was recruited on the recommendation of palace staff and quickly became indispensable. Her famous appearance at Charlotte’s christening saw her wear the distinctive uniform of the Norland nanny – brown dress, bowler hat, white gloves and sensible lace-up shoes.
She has also been an indispensable presence on the royal tours William and Kate have carried out overseas with their children. And if the Prince and Princess of Wales do end up heading to the US this summer, it may well be that Maria Borrallo accompanies them if the do decide to take George, 12, Charlotte, 10 and 7 year old Louis with them.
However, while this is very formal recognition of Maria Borrallo’s place in the household of future king and queen, William and Kate, a far more personal nod was given soon after her appointment as nanny to the family. When Princess Charlotte was born, on May 2 2015, she left hospital a few hours later wearing a cream bonnet, a gift that Maria Borrallo had found from a Spanish family firm. The gesture, modest and personal, spoke to the close relationship she had already formed with the family.
Today, that is recognised at an investiture at Windsor Castle where she will receive a very special honour, ordered by King Charles himself.
