THE ROYAL NANNY is set on the cusp of 19th century. A young woman, Charlotte Bill, lands the job as Royal Nanny at the end of 1890s. Charlotte is soon deemed head care giver for the 2 infant boys and a baby on the way and is soon dubbed Lala by her new wards. As 1901 sets in Lala has three children in her care and has more on the way for whom she will care for with all her heart and dedication. Lala makes her job her sole duty and as time goes and her royal wards are growing up, she gives up any chance at personal life. She finds her happiness and love in her wards.

What I loved about the story was the flow of time. As England was adjusting to the 19th century and its new inventions and changing world politics, the royal family children were growing up in a bubble of love, lessons and seclusion. Charlotte Bill aka Lala is a brilliant character who is not perfect yet is a great example of dedication, duty and selfless love. Through her eyes we see that royal children are no different when it comes to expectations. They may have all the comforts in life but all they crave is love and attention and cuddles from their parents. Theirs is a heavy world having a sense of responsibilities and duty pressed on them right from birth and if that wasn't enough they are reminded of it every living moment by the various people who tend to them. THE ROYAL NANNY portrayed the world of royals in a manner which made them seem just like us i.e normal folks like you and me, the difference being they had an unlimited wallet and team of people to tend to them. But underneath all the shine, glitz and glamour the royals life can be well summarized as "Heavy is the head and heart that wears the Crown".

I had a mixed bag of emotions the main character, the nanny. While I found her lucky to travel the world and be part of the same backdrop as the world's royalty, I also felt a bit miffed with her for letting go of a personal life and chance at love for duty. She is also brave for letting duty trump her personal life. Her dedication, especially to the youngest royal baby, extended much beyond the purview of her job which provided the depth to her character and an emotionally sensitive layer of the story. Charlotte Bill is definitely another name for Duty, Dedication, Selfless love and care in this story of the Royal family.

There is rarely a historical story which doesn't make me smile and take me back to its time, and THE ROYAL NANNY did not disappoint. It gave a fantastic view of what goes beyond the rich glamour of the royal families. While I may covet a few things the royals are privy to but I wouldn't want to be a part of them even if I got a Nanny like Charlotte Bill, who I wouldn't mind having as a friend though. Britain through the eyes of the Royal Nanny is emotionally sensitive, rich in experiences and full of life and with its moments of fun and happiness in good measure.

Book Summary

Based on a seldom-told true story, this novel is perfect for everyone who is fascinated by Britain’s royal family—a behind the scenes look into the nurseries of little princes and the foibles of big princes.

April, 1897: A young nanny arrives at Sandringham, ancestral estate of the Duke and Duchess of York. She is excited, exhausted—and about to meet royalty. . . .

So begins the unforgettable story of Charlotte Bill, who would care for a generation of royals as their parents never could. Neither Charlotte—LaLa, as her charges dub her—nor anyone else can predict that eldest sons David and Bertie will each one day be king. LaLa knows only that these children, and the four who swiftly follow, need her steadfast loyalty and unconditional affection.

But the greatest impact on Charlotte’s life is made by a mere bud on the family tree: a misunderstood soul who will one day be known as the Lost Prince. Young Prince John needs all of Lala’s love—the kind of love his parents won’t…or can’t…show him.

From Britain’s old wealth to the glittering excesses of Tsarist Russia; from country cottages to royal yachts, and from nursery to ballroom, Charlotte Bill witnesses history. The Royal Nanny is a seamless blend of fact and fiction—an intensely intimate, yet epic tale spanning decades, continents, and divides that only love can cross.

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