Candidate Testimonials
Candidate satisfaction is paramount to our Agency. Read what our candidates have to say about Duke and Duchess International.
Chef
Throughout my time in the position, I felt confident that the placement had been carefully considered on both sides. The longevity of the role speaks for itself — it was a positive, respectful working environment and a very rewarding experience professionally.
I would not hesitate to work with Duke & Duchess again and greatly appreciate the opportunity they provided me. Their understanding of both client and candidate needs makes a real difference in securing long-term, successful placements.
It was a wonderful three years with the family, and I remain very grateful to Duke & Duchess for facilitating such a positive and successful match. The longevity of the role was something I’m particularly proud of, and I believe it reflects both the strength of the placement process and the professionalism of everyone involved.
Nanny
The Duke & Duchess International definitely raises the bar in all areas. When I think about this agency, I think of personalised service, transparency, prompt communication, honest feedback, and real results. I would highly recommend joining this agency.
Governess
The agency has helped me to secure a position with an amazing family, which I am truly grateful for.
Since the begging she has been hands on with my placement and all further assistance. True blend of a wonderful personality and professionalism.
I wish DDI all the success and flourishing that it deserves – hands down the best elite agency.
Best wishes,
Olga
Governess
The team are highly professional, extremely responsive, and deeply committed to their work. They combine efficiency and precision with a genuinely human approach, which makes the entire process smooth, reassuring, and built on trust. Their ability to act quickly while maintaining the highest standards is something I truly value.
Over the years, the team have always demonstrated integrity, clarity in communication, and a strong personal involvement. They understands both the expectations of high-profile families and the needs of professionals, ensuring the best possible outcomes on both sides.
Duke & Duchess International reflects these same values through their strong work ethic, rapid communication, and exceptional professionalism. I am genuinely very happy with our long-standing collaboration and would highly recommend Duke & Duchess International to anyone seeking excellence, discretion, and reliability!
Governor
Duke and Duchess have been amazing to me. They’re the only agency I’ll work with. They’ve given constant support throughout the years and always find above and beyond my expectations
Nanny
Such an amazing agency!! I wholeheartedly recommend Duke & Duchess International to anyone who is looking for a job or a governess. The team are just the best, patient and helpful!!
Teacher
Tutor
Nanny
I’ve felt really supported in both of my past placements with Duke & Duchess. Katie has been amazing — she always checks in regularly and makes sure that everything is going well. I’d definitely recommend both the agency and Katie to any nannies who are looking for a supportive team.
Governess
A special thank you to the team, whose care, dedication, and professionalism have made a lasting impression. I look forward to continuing our collaboration in the future.
Thank you to the entire team at Duke & Duchess International for your outstanding work.
Governess
PA
The only downside was that when I raised questions about salary during the process, these weren’t communicated to my now-current employer. As a result, I’m now struggling to secure a pay rise and having to explore additional work elsewhere.
Governor
Have used Duke & Duchess International for the past 10 years and they always offer a highly professional service. Highly recommend
Chef
From many years I’m cooperating with this agency and more than once I get a job opportunity trough them , very efficient and reliable.
Governess
Governess
I have had excellent service and experience with Duke and Duchess since 2022. The team have always gone way beyond their call of duty and been professional, responsive and given me high-quality service. Thank you to the team.
Teacher
I have lived in Russia for 15 years and I feel the team is the most professional and the best for clients and teachers equally. I would highly recommend them to anyone , who is looking to engage teachers , Nannies , tutors etc..
Teacher
I’ve worked with this agency many times and every time they’ve been highly professional and helpful. I’d recommend Duke & Duchess to families who are looking for qualified staff, as well as tutors who want to cooperate with an agency that cares.
Teacher/Governess
The team been nothing short of amazing from the start helping me secure my first Governess job which was almost 2 years ago now! The agency sends weekly emails of updated worldwide jobs which is super handy and are very responsive when contacted.
Teacher/Governess
Nanny
Governess
House Keeper
Teacher
Governor
I would like to mention the team who first registered me with the agency and helped secure these positions. They where very proactive, helpful in dealing with my contracts, and kept in touch throughout.
I’ve only ever had an issue working with one family, which was not the agency’s fault. The team was prompt and helped me find a solution, always showed support and helped me feel secure in dealing with the issue.
The agency as a whole is very professional, reliable and efficient in arranging interviews and handling contracts. I would highly recommend them.
Governor
Teacher
I have had a long relationship with Duke and Duchess and have always found them to be a discreet and professional agency. Katie, particularly, is responsive, resourceful and supportive. I would recommend them highly.
Governess, Middle East
Governess, Moscow
Governor
House Manager, London
I would like to take this opportunity to write a review on your outstanding recruitment agent Katie.
Katie,
I would like to say a HUGE thank you for your dedication, enthusiasm, and incredible support throughout my interview process.
You have been a breath of fresh air in the recruitment industry—someone who truly cares, not just about the principal but also about the applicant.
You were with me every step of the way, checking in daily, offering your invaluable advice and preparing me for success.
The entire process was smooth, with no drawn-out rounds of interviews, no endless waiting for feedback, no unanswered messages and definitely no ghosting.
Everything you promised, you delivered.
Your focus on ensuring I was fully prepared, answering all my questions about the job and the principals, negotiating my salary, and making sure I had everything I needed for my exciting new role made a world of difference.
I can’t thank you enough & can’t wait to work with you again.
Governess, London
How satisfied have you been with the service from Duke & Duchess International?
5 stars
Please let us know the reason for your rating
I been working with Katie for the last couple of months. She has been amazing. She has gone over and beyond for me. Always on the phone when I had questions and updates.
I also worked with Lee last year and he was great and very supportive.
JOB SEARCH AND APPLICATIONS
Did you feel supported in your job search?: Very satisfied
Did you find our job vacancies matched the type of role you want?: Very satisfied
Did you receive enough recommendations for roles matched for you?: OK
Did you find it easy to apply for jobs?: Very satisfied
Did you feel the team kept you updated with your applications?: Very satisfied
INTERVIEWS AND TRIALS
Were you provided with enough information before your interview with our client?: Very satisfied
Were you provided with enough information and support before your trial (travel plans etc.)?: Very satisfied
JOB OFFERS
Did you feel the team kept you updated and informed of the next steps once a job offer was made?: Very satisfied
Did you feel the team acted well on your behalf and negotiated the best possible package?: Very satisfied
CONTRACTS AND PLACEMENTS
Do you feel the team provided enough assistance with your contract?: Very satisfied
Did you feel the team prepared you and made the appropriate arrangements for you to start in your new role?: Very satisfied
Do you feel supported in your placement?: Very satisfied
Would you recommend Duke & Duchess International
Yes
Would you be happy to find your next role through Duke & Duchess International?
Yes
Governess, Dubai
How satisfied have you been with the service from Duke & Duchess International?
5 stars
Please let us know the reason for your rating
Katie was incredibly knowledgeable and helpful throughout the process. She addressed all concerns and answered all my questions. She was very understanding about my current situation and did all she could to ensure that the transition in to the new role was as smooth as possible. She was reachable at all times and I cannot recommend her enough for other future candidates.
JOB SEARCH AND APPLICATIONS
Did you feel supported in your job search?: Very satisfied
Did you find our job vacancies matched the type of role you want?: Very satisfied
Did you receive enough recommendations for roles matched for you?: Very satisfied
Did you find it easy to apply for jobs?: Very satisfied
Did you feel the team kept you updated with your applications?: Very satisfied
INTERVIEWS AND TRIALS
Were you provided with enough information before your interview with our client?: Very satisfied
Were you provided with enough information and support before your trial (travel plans etc.)?: Very satisfied
JOB OFFERS
Did you feel the team kept you updated and informed of the next steps once a job offer was made?: Very satisfied
Did you feel the team acted well on your behalf and negotiated the best possible package?: Very satisfied
CONTRACTS AND PLACEMENTS
Do you feel the team provided enough assistance with your contract?: Very satisfied
Did you feel the team prepared you and made the appropriate arrangements for you to start in your new role?: Very satisfied
Do you feel supported in your placement?: Very satisfied
Would you recommend Duke & Duchess InternationalYesWould you be happy to find your next role through Duke & Duchess International?
Please provide additional comments on the service you received from Duke & Duchess International.
Excellent service, really helpful and supportive throughout the entire process.
Tutor, Moscow
Governess, Russia
5 stars
Please let us know the reason for your rating
Duke and Duchess have been amazing to work with, their professionalism, organisation and understanding is unmatched by any other agencies I have worked with. A special mention to Ekaterina, who has been extra supportive and helpful throughout the whole process of moving to Russia. A governess job can feel isolating especially when moving alone to a different country but I’ve always had the assurance that I can turn to Duke & Duchess for any issue and feel safe and cared for. This journey so far has been an amazing experience for me and I thank the all team for their efforts.
Nanny, Los Angeles
5 stars
Please let us know the reason for your rating:
I have had a wonderful experience working with Dukes and Duchess International. The team of agents are always very supportive and understanding. The agent makes sure to clearly explain the roles responsibilities and listens to any questions. I felt very confident in accepting the assignment with the help I received from the agent. I highly recommend this agency to anyone interested in a successful role. They will be available to help with the process and be sure to keep checking in as the job continues.
Governor/Tutor located in Milan
Chatting with a colleague today about his life and work history/path, I was reminded again of how good you lot are – I stressed as much to him.
I always feel you’re there, nearby, happy to communicate, readily, quickly, whether the news is good, bad or fairly non-existent.
I went “all in” on my new role and the family here because of the trust I have in you and I was right to. You continue to be lovely and just mega! ????
Every good wish to everyone in the team.
Brand Ambassador
When I was looking for a change in career and applying to agencies,I found Duke and Duchess to be highly professional,thorough and responsive. The consultants I have dealt with have always been helpful, informative and excellent communicators on the phone and in any correspondence.
I will certainly continue to recommend Duke and Duchess to potential clients and also them in my search for a new role.
Full time Governess, located in Kazakhstan
She is extremely thorough, kind and intuitive. She immediately knew that this placing would suit me and has reassured me and guided me most gracefully and kindly through the entire process. She is never too busy to assist, even if I need a translator so as to avoid a misunderstanding.
I hope that this placing will be renewed, and I will continue to work closely with Katerina. She has an incredible understanding of me and what I was looking for in a placement. I look forward to a long future working with Katerina. I thank you for your work ethic and this wonderful placement.
Full time Nanny, located in Turkey
November 2022
Maternity Nurse, London
the position was requested for a top Maternity Nurse candidate. I was very pleased when I was
offered the position, I started the position just prior to the height of COVID-19, the dynamics of the
position and the household changed rapidly during this time and it was a tough time for myself and
the family.
Carrie-Ann of Duke and Duchess was what I can only describe as an absolute stellar agent to myself as
a candidate and any queries or help I or the family needed, she was there for us in and out of business
hours if needed. Carrie / Duke and Duchess’ care factor was what I’ve not experienced with any agent
representation before now, I felt for the first time I was a priority as well as the client and with that
all being in place, the placement was a highly successful one, despite the challenges during the
international pandemic. Not only did Carrie supply me with a top position, she also took care of
everything involved in the position from start to finish.
I look forward to attaining more positions for Duke and Duchess International in the near future. Thank
you to Carrie-Ann and her team for their care and professionalism all round.
Many Thanks,
RP Maternity Nurse Candidate.
English Tutor position in Sri Lanka
I had been set on moving away from primary school teaching in the U.K. to something closer to a private tutor/governor role in Moscow and so registered with D&DI and even began to learn a little Russian. Shortly after registering, though, an advert for a post in Sri Lanka caught my eye. The terms were fantastic, in many ways bettering those typically offered in Moscow. I had to apply.
I didn’t hear anything about my application for two or three weeks. D&DI contacted me to say the family was keen to interview me along with other candidates and would I be available to fly out to Sri Lanka for interview
The interview itself was a very relaxed affair – an informal chat with the boy’s parents and some time interacting with the boy himself (along with his cousins). As much as these moments are about the family finding the right person for them, I also felt strongly that I needed to establish whether I would be comfortable working with and for them.
I received the news that I had secured the post a couple of weeks after the interview. I was thrilled, of course, but the stress of working a much reduced notice period at my school whilst preparing for such a big move was not insignificant!
I am just a few months into the job but I can say without hesitation that I am delighted I made the move. I received so much support by the family in the early stages. They listened to my thoughts about where I wanted to live and soon found me a wonderful and spacious apartment to live in. They set me up with a mobile phone. They even helped to find me a cook (my own cooking is awful!).
Responsibility for teaching the boy after school is shared my several teachers. On my arrival, I needed to liaise with the others to establish the hours we would work. I typically work 2-3 hours every weekday, helping the boy to complete his homework to a high standard and also complementing the school work with activities of my own. I also work for a half-day on a Saturday. It’s actually less ‘work’ and more ‘fun’ – we try to avoid academic study.
I did wonder prior to coming to Sri Lanka whether I would feel sufficiently ‘challenged’ by the job – no such concerns now. I feel very myself thinking very much like the primary school teacher I was/am; it’s just that my classroom is a bit smaller and there is only one pupil to account for.
Outside of work, I really enjoy life in Sri Lanka. It almost goes without saying that the weather here in Sri Lanka is glorious. Invariably there will be a shower or two every few days but apart from that it’s pretty much sunshine all the way. I have found the Sri Lankan people to be very kind and helpful. I’ve joined a football team and train with them during the week before playing a match on a Sunday. I spend 2-3 hours at the gym every day. And every Wednesday evening, I enjoy a pub quiz at a bar near the centre of Colombo… and we’re winning fairly regularly too!
Sri Lanka is still a developing country and I see this every day. Most card purchases are still signed for rather than ‘pinned’. I’m not sure there are too many drivers adhering all that closely to the country’s highway code and the policeman are still widely used to direct traffic and busy junctions. I will never get used to the number of cows wandering the streets at will. I’m told that a farmer might own a herd but only have a small amount of pasture so he lets the cows out during the day to go and find better pasture on public land, knowing that when the sun goes down, they’ll head back home!
I look forward to my trips back home to the U.K. several times a year but I am very happy here in Sri Lanka and can see myself staying here for several years.
British English Teacher/Companion located on the outskirts of Moscow
When I first met my student he was a very low level. He had had previous English lessons with a Russian teacher, but I think the old- style teacher-student relationship would not suit his learning requirements. From a teaching point of view we have concentrated on all the usual subjects of fluency, vocabulary, listening, grammar, etc. At the same time everything is tailor-made, plus my style of teaching is very different to a Russian interpretation of teaching and I think this has helped greatly. By this I mean nearly everything is based around the student speaking.
In terms of progress he’s advanced a lot. Like I said previously when we first met he was a very low level. Now we are in position to read articles from British newspapers and from a listening point of view we can discuss the technical aspects of the subject. The biggest example of his improvement is that for the first few months of my job I always needed some kind of materials when we travelled to Moscow by car. This is no longer the case and we now speak about every subject under the sun and use no materials whatsoever. At the same time we still have so much work to do because what I’ve noticed since I started this job is the English language is huge.
In my job I need to be flexible with time due to my students working schedule. Our lesson times are solely based around him. At the same time I do get lots of free time and if I need time off it’s never a problem. Also Included in my job is an apartment. The apartment is new and it’s very comfortable and my student has asked me often if everything is okay with my apartment.\
My employer’s family have also been extremely kind, helpful friendly and have always treated me with great respect. His employees have also been good to me too. This has made my stay here even more comfortable.
I first had contact with Carrie-ann from Duke and Duchess during the interview process in December 2013. Throughout my experience with Carrie-ann -either face-to-face or through email- I have always found her ultra-professional and helpful. She is also very approachable and has excellent communication skills. So the great thing is no question is too small for her to answer and even when you know you’re asking a bit of a stupid question she’s always helpful and polite.
I would recommend working in Russia. If you do, you need to be flexible and understand it’s different to the UK. If you’re open-minded to the experience you’ll have a great time. Finally I would have no hesitation in recommending Duke & Duchess to any potential employee or client.
Read more “British English Teacher/Companion located on the outskirts of Moscow”
Full time Nanny (Rota) located in Moscow
As soon as I met the family and children I knew this was the perfect job for me. I have now been working with the family for the past 8 months and it’s been a rewarding experience to see the progress of the children not just in their English language skills but their overall physical, social development and achievement milestones. Duke and Duchess helped support me in creating an open line of communication with the family so in most instances I can discuss ideas or any issues directly with the children’s parents but I know that if I ever need any guidance or extra support the agency are there to back me up.
During my time working with the children I have also been lucky enough to accompany the family on trips to St Barths in the Caribbean and a stay on a private island in the Maldives. I am also looking forward to going to the south of France with the family over the summer period.
I work on a 10 day on/off schedule so on my days off I am supplied with my own private apartment close to the Center of Moscow. It is great to have my own space and freedom. I really enjoy spending time catching up with other English nanny and expat friends. We love to explore this crazy city and go to visit the fabulous parks and restaurants that the city has to offer. Duke and Duchess are not just a great support for the job they have also helped me to settle back into Moscow life. They frequently send me information about what’s going on in the city and have put me in contact with other Duke and Duchess candidates to become friends with. I am so happy I used Duke and Duchess when returning to Moscow as I couldn’t have done it with out the support and care of this fabulous agency. I will highly recommend them to anyone considering working as a nanny or governess.
Full time Governess located in Moscow
I feel so lucky to have been given Nataliya as my personal consultant. When she interviewed me initially on skype, she had such a warm, calming manner that put me right at ease and I was able to answer her interview questions to the best of my ability because I felt so comfortable. It is clear that she can make excellent judgements as my placement is with a family totally suited to my personality which has made me so happy in my work.
At all times she has made me feel as though I’m the only candidate she is dealing with. I have sent whatsapp messages at 2 in the morning during an emergency and she replied! She has helped me with day to day things like getting a metro card and is always willing to help if I need it. I really feel that this has made a difference to my life in Moscow as without this it may have been a totally overwhelming experience. Just knowing that she and everyone else at the agency is there to help, has made me settle with ease.
I have passed on the agency details to some of my friends and I’m trying to get them to come to Moscow too! That’s how highly I recommend Duke and Duchess!
Thank you everyone and especially Nataliya, I really couldn’t be happier.
Full time Governor, Russia
Katerina was a great help during the arduous process of obtaining a Russian visa, has given me much great advice on traveling to and living in Russia, and has been nothing but supportive since I made first contact. The family they’ve placed me with are likewise very kind, supportive, wonderful people.
If you would like to discuss whether you are a suitable candidate for roles with Duke & Duchess International please contact us to discuss your skills and experiences with one of our qualified and experienced team members. Alternatively please register with us.
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