Life in the Kingdom of Football Royalty
Growing up, my life was anything but ordinary. My grandfather, Leonard Tose, owned a professional football team in the city where we lived. With that, my childhood was immersed in a world of power, prestige, and privilege. However, the true magic of this world went beyond luxury—it's what shaped my understanding of real royalty.
A Chauffeur and a Bodyguard: My Unlikely Guardians
My grandfather had a driver—some would say a chauffeur—named John Fitch, a retired Philadelphia police officer. John wasn't the only one; my grandfather often hired retired officers because they embodied everything he admired about the city: hard work and authenticity. John was the epitome of this, and my grandfather loved that.
Sometimes, my grandfather also had a bodyguard named Levi, another retired police officer. Together, John and Levi were a duo reminiscent of Abbott and Costello—always watching out for me and for anything that could happen. Whether they picked me up from school or took me on what they called “boring” errands, they'd always greet me with the same phrase:
“Hello, little Princess! Do you know you’re Football Royalty?”
Football Royalty? Not Quite What I Thought
Football Royalty? What did that even mean? I’d been called that for as long as I could remember, but as a kid, I didn’t understand it. Being called a princess didn’t feel like a compliment; it felt like an implication that I was entitled—something I was taught not to be. So, I would smile, laugh politely, and hop into the passenger seat of my grandfather’s custom Rolls Royce limo, sitting next to John or Levi, who were probably carrying more than just words of wisdom.
Sitting in the front seat made me feel like maybe, just maybe, I wasn’t the princess they thought I was.
A Kingdom of Privileges... But Not Everything
My life gave me a glimpse of what it’s like to hold the keys to a kingdom—a world of power, wealth, and endless opportunities. From helicopters to lunches in NYC to Cabbage Patch Dolls at the snap of a finger, anything I wanted was within reach. Anything except the one thing I truly longed for: time with the King and Queen of this kingdom—my grandfather and my mom, who were always busy making a difference in the world.
But isn’t that what real royalty is? Giving back, doing something meaningful for others? So while I enjoyed the luxuries, I also waited for my moment—devouring my beloved Pats cheesesteaks and chocolate-covered strawberries, hoping for my turn.
Finding the Real Tiara Within
That turn never exactly came. The keys to the kingdom were passed on, and just like that, my tiara disappeared. Or so I thought. What I realized later was that the real magic never left—it lives inside me. That’s where the true royal crown sits, and it’s there for all of us.
True royalty isn’t about the riches or the privileges; it’s about resilience. Doing hard things, not giving up, and being grateful—that’s the real definition of royalty. 👸
