Catherine, Princess of Wales\u2014or as she’s affectionately known to most, Kate Middleton<\/a>\u2014has just granted (along with her husband, Prince William<\/a>) a special honor to one of their inner circle…and the Palace is trying to keep it on the DL.<\/p>\n During an investiture ceremony in Windsor earlier this week, the couple’s long-term nanny, Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, who first began working for the Wales family when Prince George (now 12) was just 8 months old, was honored with the Royal Victorian Medal (Silver).<\/p>\n Maria now also cares for Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, who is 7.<\/p>\n The Royal Victorian Medal is a special recognition from the Prince and Princess of Wales to thank Maria for her service to them, their children and, by default, the crown. It differs from the likes of MBEs or knighthoods (which you’ll often see given to celebs and athletes), because this one is decided entirely by the royal family alone.<\/p>\n Maria Teresa Borrallo seen at the wedding of Pippa Middleton and James Matthews at St Mark\u2019s Church on 20 May 2017<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n Recipients don\u2019t receive a formal title like \u201cSir\u201d or \u201cDame,\u201d but do get a name change in another way; they can use the post-nominal letters RVM after their name. Fancy!<\/p>\n Prince William was the one to physically present Maria with the award on March 24; however, unlike others who were honored during the same investiture ceremony, the nanny was deliberately not pictured or videoed during the ceremony\u2014in an effort to maintain her privacy.<\/p>\n Although she has worked for the family for over a decade now, Maria has only been pictured on rare occasions, often in the background at high-profile events such as weddings or Christmas.<\/p>\n Trained at the prestigious Norland College in Bath for nannies, the Spanish childcare expert is said to \u201clove the [royal] children dearly,\u201d according to a source via People<\/em><\/u><\/a>. \u201cShe can be firm and strict, but she is very loving and soft with them, too,\u201d they added.<\/p>\n![\"pinterest\"](\"https:\/\/www.cosmopolitan.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/fre\/static\/icons\/social\/pinterest.e8cf655.svg?primary=%2523ffffff\")
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