If you just wrapped up your very first holiday with your new honey’s family, then you know how stressful the experience can be! From gifting the “right” presents to wearing the “right” outfit to touching on—or avoiding—the “right” topics over that Christmas ham, it sure is a time that is as nerve-racking as it is invigorating.

Now, imagine that your new love’s parents are VIPs, and we don’t mean run-of-the-mill VIPs here—we’re talking royalty. In fact, the matriarch of the family’s face is literally etched into her country’s currency. Oh, and the entire world is watching your every move as you float through the much-publicized festivities…

OK, it’s fair to say that the ONLY person on the face of the planet who is currently undergoing this unique experience is none other than Prince Harry’s soon-to-be bride, Meghan Markle.

Based off of what we know, she seems to be handling the attention with enthusiasm and plenty of grace to spare, but we’re willing to bet that the cool-headed gal has faced an uncomfortable moment or two since she and her fiancé announced their engagement to the world.

Lucky for her, she has a new gal pal by her side who knows EXACTLY what she is going through: none other than Duchess Kate. While the two have reportedly known each other for some time, now that the engagement is confirmed, Kate and Meghan can finally be seen out and about together. That must be a relief!

Subtle breaks in tradition point to big changes in the Royal Family

The soon-to-be sister in laws made their first public appearance together on Christmas day, as they greeted well-wishers and fans at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, England. Now, the event itself may seem inconsequential, but when you look at it more closely, you’ll find that Meghan’s attendance breaks royal protocol.

You see, prior to this past Christmas, no other prospective royal has ever celebrated the holiday with the Royal Family, a fact that seems to confirm our suspicions concerning the dynasty’s current mindset.

In the past few months, we’ve told you all about Prince Charles’ plans to turn iconic residence Buckingham Palace into a museum and “Royal HQ” once he inherits the throne, as well as Prince William and Duchess Kate’s decision to educate their children amongst commoners, two acts that point to one thing: the Queen is slowly relinquishing her stronghold on the family.

Sure, she still has influence to spare, but the more outdated traditions seen in her reign have been – or seemingly will be – phased out, with family Christmas with a fiancé being one of them!

All of that aside, it’s great to see Meghan getting the chance to spend time with her future sister-in-law. To see photos from the royal Christmas morning jaunt to church, be sure to watch the video below.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this unprecedented royal appearance. Are you surprised that Meghan was invited to celebrate Christmas with the Royal Family? Do you think she’ll be a good addition to England’s monarchy? Who is your all-time favorite royal?