A former nanny for Harry and Meghan Markle has recently revealed that she once compared herself to Lauren Kumalo, the nanny of Prince William and Catherine.
Lauren Kumalo, who hails from Zimbabwe, was hired by the Sussexes to care for their son Archie soon after his birth in May 2019.
Speaking on The Breakfast Club with Zenzeline Mbele, the paediatric nurse shared her nerves before her first meeting with the couple, who were then residing in Frogmore Cottage in Windsor.
Lauren had been accompanying another family on a holiday in Germany when she was approached by a representative for the new parents.
Hastily returning to the UK, she found herself agonizing over what to wear for the interview and began drawing comparisons to Maria Borallo, the Norland nanny for Prince William and Catherine.
Maria, a graduate of the world’s leading childcare training institutions, is often seen donning a distinctive Norland uniform, which consists of a beige crested dress, tie, loafers, and a brown felt hat.
Explaining her concerns, Lauren stated, “Prince William has got a Norland nanny, so they wear a brown uniform, and that just wouldn’t work with my skin color.”
Moments before meeting her potential employers, she even sought advice from the Duke of Sussex’s protection officer on whether she should curtsy.
Recounting her first encounter with Prince Harry, Lauren humorously added, “Maybe she got tired of tending non-existent children.”
In contrast to the Sussexes’ experience, Prince William and Catherine have maintained the same nanny, Maria, for many years.
Known as a Norland nanny, Maria received her training at Norland, a prestigious institution for high-level nanny education.
Only graduates of this esteemed school are granted the privilege of wearing the Norland nanny uniform, which is akin to a police officer’s uniform.
The Norland training is highly regarded, and Norland nannies are sought after by presidents, CEOs, royalty, and the affluent to provide care, education, and protection for their children.
While Harry and Meghan opted for a local London nanny for baby Archie, she did not receive training at the Norland academy and therefore did not wear a uniform.
Meghan intentionally chose not to employ a Norland nanny, possibly due to the cost or because it would contradict her carefully cultivated casual and laid-back image.
It is also plausible that she knew a Norland nanny would not tolerate any mistreatment and would leave if subjected to bullying attempts.
Norland nannies are confident in their abilities and take pride in their profession; they would not endure ill-treatment from clients.
It seems evident that Meghan may struggle with treating others respectfully, particularly those she perceives as servants.
This could be another reason why she did not opt for a Norland nanny, as they demand respect and would not tolerate mistreatment.