Sarah MacLean

There is perhaps no more rewarding romance heroine than she who is not expected to find love. The archetype comes in many disguises - the wallflower, the spinster, the governess, the single mom - but always with one sad claim: Love is not in her cards.

American Author

Tim Hunt

My education started with Latin taught at home by a governess, I can't imagine why, and for some reason I attended the Infants Department of the Oxford High School for Girls before moving to the Dragon School at the dangerous age of 8 or so.

British Scientist

Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark

My mum had me brought up by nannies and governesses. I didn't have much to do with my parents until I was 21.

Royalty

The term is more common in literature from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Period Usage

Governesses were often seen in British upper-class homes.

Cultural Role

A governess focuses on education, while a nanny provides general child care.

Not a Nanny

Don't confuse 'governess' with 'governor'; 'governess' indicates a management role, typically held by a woman.

Confusion With Titles

A 'governess' usually refers to management in a private or domestic setting, not public office.

Limited Scope

In history, 'governess' wasn't an official title for a ruler, but may be used informally or in fiction.

Historic Misnomer

Governess as a ruler evokes a romantic, bygone era, often used in historical novels.

Archaic Imagery

 By saving money and working as a governess and tutor, she eventually was able to move to Paris to study at the reputed Sorbonne. There, Marie earned both a physics and mathematics degree surviving largely on bread and tea, and sometimes fainting from near starvation.

The genius of Marie...

 The rope became a big thing when women's clothes became more fitted and the pantaloon came into being. And so, girls were able to jump rope because their skirts wouldn't catch the ropes. Governesses used it to train their wards to jump rope.