Newest Royal Family member joins Kate Middleton and Prince William during Scotland visit

Everybody knows there’s nothing quite as nerve-wracking as meeting your loved one’s family.

Well, just imagine the stress if your partner is a member of the Royal Family, and you’re taken to meet none other than the Prince and Princess of Wales.

It all sounds like something out of a Hallmark movie, but it’s the reality for one woman who is set to join the Royals, and she has been invited for the unofficial ‘Balmoral test’.

The infamous Balmoral ‘Test’ is something that the Royal Family put any new members through with a visit to the royal Scottish estate.

Apparently, Kate Middleton ‘passed the test with flying colours’ when she was invited in 2009 upon her starting to date her now-husband, according to Royal author Christopher Andersen.

By all accounts, Kate was the first girl Wills ever brought to Balmoral [according to a royal insider]”, Andersen wrote in his book, William and Kate: A Royal Love Story, per the Express. “He must have known how much she would love it.

As Kate stood on the riverbank angling for salmon, trout and pike, it quickly became clear to one member of the Balmoral staff that she seemed ‘perfectly at home here’.”

Not quite the relaxing bank holiday weekend that the new addition might have been hoping for, but Harriet Sperling has been invited along to Balmoral to join the annual summer holiday for the Royals, joining the likes of William and Kate.

Harriet is the new fiancée of Peter Phillips, who is the son of Princess Anne – who recently celebrated her 75th birthday, no less.

News of the happy couple’s engagement was shared at the start of the month.

A statement said: “Both families were informed jointly of the announcement and were delighted with the wonderful news of their engagement.”

“Mr Peter Phillips, the son of HRH The Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips, and Ms Harriet Sperling, daughter of the late Mr Rupert Sanders and Mrs Mary Sanders of Gloucestershire, have today confirmed their official engagement.”

Harriet works as an NHS nurse, and their wedding date is yet to be set.

Mr Phillips has two daughters called Savannah and Isla Phillips, from his first marriage to Autumn Phillips.

Peter and Autumn were married from 2008 to 2021, while Harriet has one daughter from a previous relationship.

It seems that Harriet shouldn’t have anything to worry about with the test, according to a source, who told The Sun: “Everyone knows Peter is smitten and his family have accepted Harriet into the set up so she will likely pass the infamous Balmoral Test with flying colours.”

According to The Telegraph, the test looks at things like a knowledge of social rules.

This could include how you dress for dinner, where to sit, and the general manners required to fit in correctly in the Royal family.

Author Andrew Morton described it in his book: “Ever since Queen Victoria bought the estate in 1848, it has had a special place in the affections of the royal family. However, the very quirks and obscure family traditions which have accrued over the years can intimidate newcomers.”

“‘Don’t sit there’ they chorus at an unfortunate guest foolish enough to try and sit in a chair in the drawing room which was last used by Queen Victoria.… Those who successfully navigate this social minefield, popularly known as the Balmoral test, are accepted by the royal family.”

No pressure, then!