Why Manners Matter, According to Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece

The royal author of Manners Begin at Breakfast tells Prestige why it’s never too late to learn good manners and rules of etiquette.

Raised in Hong Kong and married into European royalty, the story of Marie-Chantal, Crown Princess of Greece, has the makings of a modern-day fairy-tale. Now the author of the recently re-released Manners Begin at Breakfast: Modern Etiquette for Families, Marie-Chantal shares some of her key insights with Prestige.

Why does the world need more manners?

Manners matter. I recently went out to dinner with my teenage son, and as we were leaving the restaurant, he held the door open for a woman entering with a stroller. I could see from her face that she was pleasantly surprised that a young teenager would do something as simple as holding a door for a stranger. This is not to boast about my children’s manners, but, after a visit to a school where I was almost overwhelmed by a mad rush of boys on a staircase, I realised that kids are losing sight of how to interact with others – especially adults. If just one child had moved out of the way for me on that staircase, I would have had the same expression as the women at the restaurant. The truth is that, as a culture, we are slowly losing our manners.

Who is this book perfect for?

This is a book for all the family; both parent and child. It covers all aspects of family life – from newborn moments and baby etiquette to manners at the table, social media monitoring for older children, dressing etiquette and even Travel tips. 

What’s your biggest dinner table no-no?

Elbows off the table! Little elbows (and any other body parts) should stay off the table when eating.

Do you think it’s possible to change children’s etiquette habits in later years?

It is never too late to learn good manners and rules of etiquette. I also believe that rules of etiquette do evolve and change over the years, so we are all always learning these new rules whilst also incorporating old ones. 

What’s special about this re-release of your book?

The updated edition adds new insights on parenting in a post-pandemic world, including an updated chapter on Technology and how to reduce children’s screen time. Each chapter is now peppered with delightful anecdotes and personal stories from my own experiences putting my own advice into practice as my children enter early adulthood.

Do you have any more books planned for the future?

I can’t say much at this stage but we are working on very exciting new concepts …