Marie Chantal of Greece has revealed the golden rules of etiquette she has instilled in her five children.
The Greek royal, 51, who is married to Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece, 52, and splits her time between London and New York, shared the rules she has taught her children Princess Maria-Olympia, 23, Prince Constantine-Alexios, 21, Prince Achileas-Andreas, 19, Prince Odysseas-Kimon, 15, and Aristidis-Stavros, 11.
Speaking in this week’s issue of Tatler, ahead of the release of her book Manners Begin at Breakfast: Modern Etiquette for Families this week, Marie admitted she doesn’t allow mobiles at the table or before bed, bans her children from wearing t-shirts in restaurants, and only allows cereal for breakfast on very rare occasions.
Marie Chantal of Greece has revealed the golden rules of etiquette she has instilled in her five children
The Greek royal, 51, who is married to Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece, 52, and splits her time between London and New York, shared the rules she has taught her children including Princess Maria-Olympia, 23, seen
Marie said: ‘It’s at the table that things are shared, it’s so important for people to pause. And it’s where we learn how to hold a knife and fork, how to say please and thank you. That’s why I say manners begin at breakfast’.
Explaining that she was never keen on rushing breakfast and was herself only allowed cereal as a treat on holiday in America, she revealed that she has always begun every day starting breakfast as a family.
‘This is where good habits are picked up, including the golden rule that little elbows and other body parts should stay off the table when eating. Hands should be washed before meals, napkins should be on laps and a simple please or thank you goes a long way.’
Explaining that she enforced screen time and doesn’t allow phones before bed, she added: ‘There’s a cardinal rule: No phones at the table. I despair when I see parents out at restaurants with their chidlren glued to iPads and no conversation taking place at all’.
‘One of their rules is they have to wear a proper shirt when they go out’, Marie said, admitting she was ‘horrified’ when son Achileas took off his turtleneck in a restaurant to reveal a t-shirt (seen with Alexios)
Marie explained that she teaches her children manners by ‘face-to-face conversation and role-modelling, and admitted she ‘still pesters’ her older kids.
‘One of their rules is they have to wear a proper shirt when they go out’, admitting she was ‘horrified’ when Achileas took off his turtleneck in a restaurant to reveal a t-shirt.
Marie-Chantal married Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece in 1995. The pair met while she was studying in New York and now have five children together, Maria-Olympia, Constantine-Alexios, Achileas-Andreas, Odysseas-Kimon and Aristidis-Stavros.
The Greek royals have lived between New York and London since 2004, with Marie Chantal running a children’s clothing line out of the UK.
The Greek royal, 51, who is married to Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece, 52, and splits her time between London and New York, shared the rules she has taught her children Princess Maria-Olympia, 23, Prince Constantine-Alexios, 21, Prince Achileas-Andreas, 19, Prince Odysseas-Kimon, 15, and Aristidis-Stavros, 11, pictured