For more than a decade 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. Now Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, the full-time nanny to the Prince and Princess of Wales, has been formally recognised for her service.
Ms Turrion Borrallo has been awarded the Royal Victorian Medal (Silver), an honour bestowed personally by the King to thank individuals who have given loyal service to the monarch or the royal family. It is a rare public acknowledgment for a woman whose professional success has rested on staying resolutely out of the limelight. It’s been announced in the latest New Year’s Honours.
The award forms 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.
The Spanish-born nanny has cared for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis since joining the household in 2014, shortly after the birth of the future king. 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 – she was recruited on the recommendation of palace staff and quickly became indispensable.
In the years since, she has been a constant presence as the Wales family moved from Kensington Palace to Anmer Hall and later to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor, supporting the children through school transitions, overseas tours and the demands of growing up under intense public scrutiny.
While royal nannies are rarely seen, Ms Turrion Borrallo made a memorable early impression at Princess Charlotte’s christening in 2015, when she appeared in Norland’s instantly recognisable Edwardian-style uniform: brown dress, bowler hat, white gloves and sensible lace-up shoes. The outfit — largely unchanged since the college was founded in 1892 — briefly lifted the veil on the traditions underpinning royal childcare.
Those who have observed the family closely have long noted the strong bond between the nanny and the children, particularly during their early years. She has accompanied them on major overseas tours and was often seen quietly managing logistics while the Duke and Duchess — as they then were — carried out official duties.
One small moment captured public affection: Princess Charlotte’s first appearance outside the Lindo Wing wrapped in a cream bonnet, later revealed to be a handmade gift sourced by Ms Turrion Borrallo from a Spanish family firm. The gesture, modest and personal, spoke to the close relationship she had already formed with the family.
Now, with Prince George entering his teens and his siblings following close behind, the award serves as recognition of continuity and trust – values at the heart of the Royal Victorian Order. For the Prince and Princess of Wales, who place enormous emphasis on stability and normality for their children, Ms Turrion Borrallo has been a quiet constant through years of change.
