Royal baby: Why Kate Middleton and Prince William WON'T have a Royal nanny Previous Royal generations employed traditional nannies from prestigious firm Norland Nannies Royal babies were very much 'seen and not heard' by parents But Kate and Wills are said to prefer a more informal approach The two advertised for a housekeeper to take on general role with childcare Pair plan to be as hands-on as possible with both taking on day-to-day care The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are moments away from becoming parents for the first time. But as they plan for the huge life change a newborn brings to any family, no matter how wealthy or how blue the blood, one things is for sure: Kate and Wills will be doing this very differently from previous generations of Royals. The two are said to be planning to break with the long standing tradition of a formal nanny (or many nannies) taking control of childcare in the Royal household. Instead they advertised for a housekeeper to help with multiple household chores and help watch the Royal baby, with Kate and William expecting to do much of the hands on care taking themselves. Traditional, highly trained Norland Nannies have served the Royal family for generations, but Kate and William are said to have advertised for a housekeeper in lieu of a traditional nanny And, of course, Kate plans to spend the first six weeks of the baby's life at her parents' Buckinghamshire mansion, meaning she will have the 24-hour assistance of her very able mother. Previously nannies were a huge part of the lives of royal children, with Prince Charles, for instance, raised almost exclusively by a team of highly trained nannies. Charles had two main nannies, Nurse Helen Lightbody and Mabel Anderson, who were surrogate mothers to him throughout his childhood. At the time - he was born in 1948 - a nanny was expected to do much of the hands on child rearing, with parents playing a far less hands-on role than we would expect today. Children of the upper classes were expected to be presented to their parents by the nanny, neat and clean and on their best behaviour. And the Royals were no exception. Indeed, the Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, was not present at Charles' first three birthdays. And although that may sound harsh by today's standards, it would have been the norm at the time, especially given the pressure of her Royal duties. Prince Charles was supported by his nanny, Mabel Anderson, when his parents went on a six month tour when he was three years old. He later credited his nanny for providing critical emotional support in his early childhood years and beyond. Prince William in his pushchair with his nanny Olga Powell in Regent's Park in London in 1984. Despite growing up with a full-time nanny, William and his wife Kate are not to employ full-time help Princess Diana leaves Lorenzo's with William and Harry and nanny Olga Powell: William's nanny helped him through the difficult time of his parents divorce When it came to his own children, Charles and, of course, Diana, were much more involved on a daily basis wherever possible, although they still employed two nannies, Olga Powell and Barbara Barnes. Olga Powell, from the prestigious Norland College, stayed with the family for over 15 years. The formidable pair - of whom the children were incredibly fond - reportedly took the young William to parks in London in 'secret', in 'civilian' clothing and with just a single security guard, to give him as many normal childhood experiences as possible. Olga Powell cared for both William and Prince Harry when they were young boys, including the difficult period when their parents' marriage was breaking up in the early 1990s. William was devastated when Olga died in 2012, and cancelled numerous engagements to be able to attend her funeral. As a child, the Queen's nanny, Clara Knight (affectionately known as Allah) would have been staffed by a team of nursemaids, under-nurses and chambermaids, with the Royal nanny dedicating her time to being with the children and overseeing their strict daily routine. Later Marion Crawford joined the royal household as Governess, a role that incorporated private tutoring, some of the duties of a nanny and as a companion. In a modern twist on the nanny role, Marion was in training to be a child psychologist when she accepted the post. At just nine months old, Elizabeth's parents went on a six month tour of Australia and New Zealand leaving her behind with her nanny. During this period the nanny would have been required to send regular updates of Elizabeth's progress detailing significant events. Via post one such letter accompanied by a photograph of a smiling Elizabeth dated 8 March 1927 stated: 'If Mummy looks into my mouth with a little magnifying glass she will see my two teeth. Elizabeth; quite well and happy! Rosemary Albone, a Norland-educated nanny and adviser to nanny firm Care.com told MailOnline in a recent interview how much the role of baby care-giver has changed from Queen Elizabeth to Prince Charles, and how much it will go on to transition as William takes on a parenting role to his own son or daughter. She said: "With news that the royal couple have recently reported a job advert showing they are looking for a housekeeper, perhaps they are moving with the times and going for a modern approach to childcare. Princess Anne and Prince Charles are whisked away from Buckingham Palace by their nannies after Anne's Christening in 1950 Prince Charles -waving to bystanders - and his sister Princess Anne are taken by their nanny into Marlborough House with bouquets of flowers to call upon their great-grandmother, Queen Mary, on her 84th birthday in 1951 With roles including walking the dog, polishing silverware, driving the car and watching the baby, the new all-encompassing housekeeper is a million miles away from the type of care that previous royalty have received. Ms Albone explains that the role of the Royal nanny has dramatically changed in parallel with the evolution of the Royal family themselves. The Royals have modernised their opinions about the needs of their children and how they view themselves, their influence as parents, and the interaction they wish for. Ms Albone explains that "broad shoulders and a tough skin were necessary attributes to cope with the amount of opinion shared about the quality of the job [nannies] were doing by many members of the royal family and the public." Princess Anne's son, Peter Phillips, on his way to nursery school with his nanny, Mabel Anderson in 1980 (right) Ms Albone says: "The role of the Royal nanny would have been a tricky one to get right in terms of relationships; needing to acknowledge that the children may well see their nanny as a central and significant figure in their lives and someone who they could rely on to always be there; yet also someone who would never outshine the central and influential role of the parent. Speaking about the arrival of William's own son or daughter, Ms Albone said: "Much has been speculated about the appointment of a Royal nanny and whether that role will be full or part-time, but what's important is that whoever is charged to look after the little one will know the child and the parents" preferences very well. "This blending of care is a skill that the nanny will need to be an expert at; making sure that their practice is guided by the Duke and Duchess" ideas and wishes primarily. As with previous Royal nannies, the new Royal baby's carer will be expected to have qualifications and experience and be knowledgeable about current issues and how these can be interpreted to benefit the child and family. Devoted Royal nanny Barbara Barnes carries Prince William onto a plane at the start of the six week royal tour of Australia in 1983 Nannies have traditionally always helped royal mothers: Queen Elizabeth holds Prince Charles hand while a nanny carries Princess Anne as they catch a train to Balmoral to rejoin H.M. the King and Queen and Princess Margaret in 1950 Prince Charles with one of his nannies, Nurse Helen Lightbody William with his beloved deputy nanny, Olga Powell Charles and Diana were much more involved on a daily basis wherever possible. The nanny would have needed to have been very flexible, encouraging a high level of parental involvement in everyday life, much of it spontaneous and unplanned. This is very different to previous royal nanny duties where unwavering routines ruled the day When it came to Charles having children of his own, a maternity nurse was appointed to support Princess Diana in the early weeks of Prince William's life to help establish a routine Ms Albone said: "Prince Charles had such fond memories of his nanny Mabel that it was reported he requested she return to look after William - Diana however was not keen on this idea and instead Barbara Barnes was appointed Olga Powell was initially "deputy nanny" to Barbara and then took over once Barbara moved on. She was described as loving but strict, and stayed with the royal family for 15 years supporting them through tumultuous events Her firm but caring presence supported Princes William and Harry throughout their formative years and she made sure that their feet remained firmly on the ground. Their relationship remained strong with William cancelling an appearance so that he was able to attend her funeral in October 2012 Olga's consistency and attachment to the Royal Princes would provide a firm foundation to rocky lives In a change to typical events, Prince William and nanny Barnes travelled with the royal couple to tour Australia and New Zealand when William was still less than a year old William and Harry's nanny would have been expected to teach them both manners and appropriate behaviours including how to bow to the Queen and Queen Mother The Norland nannies are easily recognisable from their distinctive brown uniform, which is strictly enforced The tradition of nannies in the Royal household goes back centuries. Nannies appointed by the Royal household would have led a very restricted life, but helped shaped countless monarchs' personality, outlook and manners. The Royal family have tended to hire from the exclusive Norland Nanny College, where students are taught all aspects of childcare, including the manners and decorum required by a Royal. Famed for their strict old-fashioned brown uniform, Norland nannies are considered to be some of the best in the world, and some of the most expensive. In terms of the hierarchy of staff within royal households during the Queen's childhood, nannies sat relatively near the top spot. However the position could be a lonely one, as the role fell between the rest of the household staff and they were considered neither "upstairs" nor "downstairs." An obsession with rigid routines - believed then to be essential for every child - means that most nannies were expected to put their lives on hold and dedicate themselves to a family that was not their own. Although the majority of royal nannies remained single, they were always addressed as "Mrs" to acknowledge their position and to show respect. Norland nannies are put through a grueling course, training in all aspects of child care and adhering to the college's traditional methods