On Saturday, newlywed Meghan Markle will make her Trooping the Colour debut. Yes, the newly-minted Duchess of Sussex will make her first appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony with the entire Royal Family. It’s the family portrait we’ve all been waiting for!

The Trooping of the Colour, which has been the official commemoration of a British sovereign’s birthday since 1748, is the most highly-anticipated event in the royal calendar. (Queen Elizabeth turned 92 on April 21.)

Although already a seasoned pro at public outings (she did get married in front of millions of people, after all), the former actress will no doubt still feel more than a few butterflies leading up to the Queen’s celebratory birthday parade. If anyone else could relate to the monumental pressures involved, it’d be Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, who was seen mouthing the word “wow” during her first balcony experience and is likely whispering pointers in Meghan’s ear at this very moment. What are sister-in-laws for, right?

The Trooping of the Colour also marks Prince Harry and Meghan’s first public outing since they appeared at Prince Charles’ early birthday celebration at Buckingham Palace only three days after exchanging vows at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor. Since then, the couple du jour have jetted off to a top-secret honeymoon destination (Psst, it’s reportedly in Ireland).

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex
The Duke of Sussex pays tribute to his father, Prince Charles, while the Duchesses of Cornwall and Sussex look on. Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty Images.

Following the Trooping of the Colour, Meghan will join the Queen herself for an official joint outing in Cheshire on June 14. Talk about a dynamic duo!  The Duchess of Sussex first stepped out alongside Her Majesty at the Commonwealth Day service in March.

It’s the perfect opportunity for Meghan to learn the royal ropes, as it were, from Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. The pair are expected to help open the Mersey Gateway Bridge before moving on to open the Storyhouse Theatre — the latter of which the former thespian certainly knows a thing or two about. And she’ll be doing it all sans Harry!

 

Still thinking about the Royal Wedding? Stay tuned for Zoomer‘s special digital keepsake edition, Celebrating Royals in Love