A HIGHLY EDUCATED NANNY WHO REALLY DOES KNOW BEST
LONG before she met Harry, Meghan made it clear that she will always work. ‘I’ve never wanted to be a lady who lunches — I’ve always wanted to be a woman who works. And this type of [charity] work is what feeds my soul and fuels my purpose,’ she said.
As a working mum she will need childcare, and the couple are reported to have contacted a Kensington-based agency and begun the process of hiring a nanny.
Rather than choose a uniformed Norland nanny, who will be on hand 24/7 and follow rather rigid rules, they are hoping to find someone who can ‘fit in’ with their family.
It is said that they are keen for the nanny to be American, to reflect Meghan’s heritage, and are also keen to ‘explore the possibility’ of a male nanny.
The salary on offer is said to be £70,000 a year, which is what a premier-level nanny can command.
The agency, incidentally, is the one which also provided Liz Hurley and Patsy Kensit with their nannies, and is known as the ne plus ultra for the smart set.
Many of their nannies are graduates and are sophisticated young people who will be able to fit into any family, no matter how wealthy or high-profile, with ease.
A source said: ‘Meghan was clear in telling recruiters she favours an American over a Brit and wants them to feel part of the family rather than a uniformed member of staff.’
This seems to indicate a child-centric approach. Rather than outsourcing the raising of the child to a professional, this is the ‘extra pair of hands’ version of hiring a nanny.
It looks very much as if Meghan will be following in the footsteps of Amal Clooney, the human rights lawyer, who seems to have become her closest friend in the UK.
Amal, 41, hired veteran nanny Connie Simpson to look after Ella and Alexander, her twins by actor George Clooney.
Nanny Connie (pictured right) actually came out of retirement just to get them through the first year. In a statement
released ahead of the publication of Connie’s book, The Nanny Connie Way, the Clooneys said: ‘If I were a baby, I would want Connie to be my Nanny.
‘I want her to wrap me in a blanket and rock me to sleep. We loved having her as part of our family.’
Nanny Connie said: ‘What I’ve noticed over the years is that new parents are nervous and need someone to guide them. I feel that I am more of a life coach. I’m a family coach.
‘I’m all about the nucleus of the family, and being together.’
One routine which was instituted by the high-profile family — who travel often and entertain friends such as former U.S. President Barack Obama in the evenings — was early-morning family time.
Amal said: ‘Between six and eight in the morning we get to have them in our bed — I don’t schedule any calls before eight.’