The Other Side of Royal Life: The Prince of Wales's Shoelaces Are Tied by Someone Else, How Were the Children of the Russian Tsar Raised?
Foreign media often expose the secrets of the House of Windsor. According to the recollections of royal staff, Prince Charles's personal life is particularly "unique." Servants revealed that the heir to the throne would issue some peculiar orders every day, which they had to follow — for example, the amount of toothpaste squeezed onto the toothbrush had to be precise to a fixed standard. Interestingly, do these servants know that in Russia, imperial children were taught to split firewood, sleep on military cots, and even take cold showers every morning from an early age?
"Almost nothing was done by himself"
Prince Charles has long been known for being "demanding," but this is more because "he has never developed the ability to do things independently in his life." Paul Burrell, a former royal servant and butler to Princess Diana (the Duchess of Wales), said that royal staff would handle all matters for the prince — even ironing his pajamas (which had to be ironed every morning without a single wrinkle) and tying his shoelaces. His clothes also had to be arranged according to a fixed template, and even the valet was responsible for squeezing exactly 1 inch (2.54 cm) of toothpaste onto his toothbrush each time.
Burrell recalled one time when he received a call from the study. When he arrived at the prince's side, Charles explained his "problem": "Paul, the letter from the Queen accidentally fell into the trash, can you help me get it out?" At that moment, the so-called "trash can" was right next to the flustered Charles. Burrell bent down and took the letter out of the trash can, placed it on the prince's desk, and asked, "Your Majesty, is there anything else?" Charles replied, "No, thank you!"
King's journalist Clive Goodman also mentioned that the prince "did almost nothing by himself":
"When he woke up in the morning, his dressing gown was already prepared; when he walked into the bathroom, the bathtub was already filled with water. Even when he got out of the bathtub, the towel was folded into a specific shape, and he just needed to sit down and wrap it around himself."
By the way, the clothes of royal family members are all hand-washed. Staff are strictly forbidden from putting the prince's clothes in a washing machine, fearing damage.
Expectations regarding food are also no simple matter. Prince Charles has extremely meticulous requirements for the breakfast prepared by his attendants — even cooking a single soft-boiled egg requires considerable effort from the chef.
Journalist and author Jeremy Paxman wrote in his book "The Royal Family":
"Staff were never sure which egg would meet the required level of doneness, so they would cook a whole batch. If the prince found the fifth egg too runny, he would proceed to try the sixth, seventh, and so on."
Later, former private chef of Prince Charles, Mervyn England, confirmed this account, although the British royal family has always denied it.
A Two-Million-Ruble Child's Convertible Car and a Toy House
Evidently, this family tradition continues. For instance, British media have repeatedly reported on the list of gifts received by King Charles III's eldest grandson, Prince George, to highlight the kind of treatment that ordinary children could only dream of. When George was very young, his grandfather gave him a toy house equipped with a real fireplace and luxurious furniture, which, converted into Russian currency, was worth as much as two million rubles. Now, 12-year-old George has his own "car collection," including a mini Aston Martin and an off-road vehicle (both given by his uncle, Prince Harry), as well as a child's convertible car, which can reach a top speed of 32 kilometers per hour — this toy car was produced in a limited quantity of only 25 units worldwide.
Incidentally, William, the Prince of Wales, once admitted that he "spoils his children," which is evident from the behavior of his youngest son, Prince Louis — experts even claim that Louis "will face many problems in the future." Louis became an unexpected social media "star" due to his various funny gestures and casual behavior in public.
Evidently, this family tradition continues. Incidentally, Prince William once admitted that he "spoils his children."
However, the upbringing of royal children in Russia was completely different. Historians say that the children of Tsar Nicholas II were raised in a "Spartan-style harsh environment," with hardly any opportunities for indulgence. They lived in spacious and bright rooms, but the interior decorations were extremely simple; they slept on narrow military cots, and every morning they had to take cold showers (at the time, people believed that this would strengthen the children's physique, making them resistant to cold and strong). Their clothing was practical and comfortable, with no luxury at all.
Empress Alexandra Feodorovna actively participated in the education of her children, teaching them from an early age not to be idle, but to balance prayer, manual labor, and other tasks. An interesting detail: several grand duchesses were excellent in embroidery. They would go to the Crimean charity market with their mother to sell their embroidered works, with all the proceeds used to help tuberculosis patients.
"If they misbehave, they should be severely punished — this is the first rule"
Tsar Nicholas II himself spent a lot of time with his children: riding horses, swimming, painting, and going on long hikes. Notably, the nannies of the heir apparent Alexei were Russians (not the usual British ones), in order for the future emperor to speak fluent and standard Russian.
As for Tsarevna Tatiana Nikolaevna, the second daughter of Nicholas II, people at the time said:
"She was smart, mature, liked to manage household affairs, especially excelled in embroidery and ironing clothes. She had a natural sense of order and a strong sense of responsibility."
Boys had to learn to work from an early age: splitting firewood, farming, doing carpentry, and even learning to drive.
Children also spent a lot of time reading, especially reading aloud — the family's "children's library" contained over four thousand books. Galina Ulyanova, a senior researcher at the Institute of Russian History of the Russian Academy of Sciences and a doctor of historical sciences, pointed out that during the reign of Nicholas II, the number of educational institutions at all levels in Russia increased rapidly: in the 15 years between 1896 and 1910, the number of newly opened schools, colleges, and universities exceeded the total number of such institutions in the entire history of Russia before 1896.
Tsar Alexander III and Empress Maria Feodorovna had six children. When educating their children, they were strict yet focused on cultivating respect for elders and love for everything in Russia.
In a letter to a family tutor, Alexander III wrote: "My wife and I do not want to raise our children into 'flowers in a greenhouse.' I emphasize that the children should pray devoutly, study diligently, play moderately, and even if they misbehave, they should have limits."
"I say again, I don't need any 'spoiled brats'; I want healthy, normal Russian children. If they misbehave, they should be severely punished — this is my first requirement," Alexander III emphasized.
Interestingly, Maria Feodorovna often personally bought things for the children and did some domestic chores that were usually handled by the servants.
Children regularly exercised, took cold showers to build strength; their daily diet focused on balanced nutrition, and they were not spoiled with desserts — tea was only accompanied by jam, buttered bread, and biscuits. Although life was simple, parents constantly instilled core behavioral principles in them: politeness, consideration, kindness, and concern for others.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7546895815869022774/
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