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Celebrity

09th Aug 2018

Meghan has to undergo a royal ‘test’ this summer and we’re confused

Cathy Donohue

'royal test'

What is this all about?

As you’re probably aware, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry married in May and they’ve been the centre of attention since.

With numerous royal engagements and public appearances, there’s a lot going on and it doesn’t look set to stop anytime soon.

According to reports, the newlyweds are due to spend some time with the Queen in her Balmoral residence this summer before beginning their next royal tour of Australia, Fiji and New Zealand.

However, this visit to the Queen’s royal residence in Scotland has been referred to as a ‘test’ of sorts and that’s where we’re a little baffled.

I mean, why on earth would the Duchess of Sussex have to pass a test?

Speaking to Express.co.uk, Richard Fitzwilliams, an expert on all matters royal, explained that it’s known as the ‘Balmoral’ test.

“An invitation to Balmoral, where the Queen is expected to remain until September, is traditionally part of the initiation into the Royal family”.

Fitzwilliams explained that Diana passed this ‘test’ but she was not a fan of the country residence and so, she didn’t visit very often.

“The Balmoral ‘test’ was initially passed by Diana who was later unhappy and bored there”.

Why it’s referred to as a test is anyone’s guess but judging by this explanation, spending some time at Balmoral, the large estate located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, is standard practice for any new member of the royal family.

Presumably, this is to get to know everyone better and as mentioned above, it’s a sort of ‘initiation’ into the royal way of doing things.