How Duchess Kate is helping Meghan Markle adapt to the royal family

Becoming a princess bride requires a bit of work. As Meghan Markle prepares to wed Prince Harry May 19, she’s navigating sessions in royal protocol — covering everything from public speaking to the best way to behave at a state banquet.

Fortunately for the future duchess, 36, she has the best advisor just a short walk away. The former Suits star will often make the walk across the Kensington Palace grounds from Nottingham Cottage to Apartment 1A, the sprawling 22-room spread Duchess Kate shares with Prince William, a source reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly. There, over cups of tea, Kate, 36, “will give Meghan advice about adapting to the royal family.”

Just seven years removed from her own princess training, the royal told Markle “that if she ever needed anything, she shouldn’t hesitate to get in touch,” says the Markle pal. Even if it’s just to get a crash course on her new collection of aides. “Keep in mind,” notes the pal, “the aides advising Meghan now are of the same position at the palace as the ones who advised Kate when she first got engaged to William.”

See photos from the event Meghan and Kate attended together:

William, 35, is on hand to offer tips as well. “Harry made sure that his brother and sister-in-law are both available to Meghan,” says a source. “You can’t trust anyone more than family.”

And the couple are eager to embrace Markle as an official Cambridge. “Meghan gets along great with everyone,” a source says of the star, who joined the trio onstage February 28 for the inaugural Royal Foundation Forum in London. Most importantly, she’s a great fit for Harry. Says a source close to William and Kate, “They’re so pleased to see Harry in a good place and planning his future.”

For more on Markle’s friendship with Kate, pick up the new issue of Us Weekly, on stands now!

RELATED: See photos of Meghan and Harry together:

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