Looking at photos of Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton’s strikingly similar debuts last year got us thinking about how many other exciting (and likely overwhelming) first-time experiences they’ve shared as regular women who happened to become royalty. Meghan’s whirlwind 2018 was full of fun firsts, from being on the balcony at Trooping the Colour to a solo outing with Queen Elizabeth II and even her first royal tour with Prince Harry.

Kate Middleton made a lot of the same moves back in 2008 while dating William, and ticked even more firsts off her list after they got engaged in 2010. We’ve put Kate and Meghan’s royal firsts side by side, from wedding days to royal outings to their respective first postbaby debuts — and there will be plenty more to add this year!

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Kate’s First Interview

In November 2010, Kate’s first duty after Prince William popped the question was to do a TV interview with her fiancé. The happy couple spoke to ITV about their exciting news.

Meghan’s First Interview

Meghan and Prince Harry gave their own lovey-dovey joint interview to BBC after their engagement news broke in November 2017.

Kate’s First Official Engagement

Kate attended her first engagement when she accompanied William to a Christmas event for the Teenage Cancer Trust in 2010.

Meghan’s First Official Engagement

In December 2017 — less than a week after announcing their engagement — Meghan and Harry had their first official appearance in Nottingham, England, where they attended a Terrence Higgins Trust World AIDS Day charity fair.

Kate’s First Borrowed Diamonds

Kate wore the Cartier Halo Tiara, her first borrowed diamonds from the royal vaults, on her wedding day in April 2011.

Meghan’s First Borrowed Diamonds

On her own wedding day in May 2018, Meghan wore the Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau Tiara, which was loaned to her by Queen Elizabeth II. It was also worn by the queen’s sister, Princess Margaret, during many of her appearances.

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Kate’s First Commonwealth Day Service

Kate joined the royal family at the Commonwealth Day Service for the first time in March 2015, while she was pregnant with Princess Charlotte.

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Meghan’s First Commonwealth Day Service

Meghan attended the annual event in March 2018, marking her first official outing with the queen.

Kate’s First Buckingham Palace Garden Party

Kate made her first appearance at one of the queen’s annual tea parties alongside Charles and Camilla in May 2012, over a year after she and William got married.

Meghan’s First Buckingham Palace Garden Party

In stark contrast, Meghan attended her first Buckingham Palace garden party just three days after her royal wedding to Prince Harry. She was spotted giggling with her in-laws as poor Harry got stung by a bee while speaking.

Kate’s First Trooping the Colour

When it comes to celebrating the queen’s official birthday at Trooping the Colour, there is a strict “no ring, no bring” rule — no girlfriends or boyfriends are allowed on the balcony, just husbands or wives. In June 2011, Kate made her debut two months after her wedding day, and even jetted off to a friend’s wedding straight after in the same outfit!

Meghan’s First Trooping the Colour

It was only a few weeks after her wedding to Prince Harry that Meghan was allowed to join her royal relatives on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for Trooping the Colour festivities.

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Kate’s First Christmas at Sandringham

Kate spent Christmas with the royal family for the first time in 2011, after she and William tied the knot.

Meghan’s First Christmas at Sandringham

Meghan broke a major royal tradition by spending Christmas with the queen for the first time before she and Harry were officially husband and wife. She joined the royal family for church services in December 2017, just a month after her engagement was announced.

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Kate’s First Engagement With the Queen

While the queen invited both Kate and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, along for a Diamond Jubilee tour of Fortnum and Mason in March 2012, it wasn’t until March 2019 that Kate had her first solo outing with Her Majesty; the pair visited King’s College in London, where they opened an education facility on the campus.

Meghan’s First Engagement With the Queen

In June 2018, Meghan joined the queen for a visit to Cheshire, England. After an overnight trip on the royal train, they opened a road bridge in Widnes and watched a performance from schoolchildren.

Kate’s First Anzac Day Service

In April 2014, Kate joined William for her first-ever Anzac Day commemorative service, a day of remembrance which honors those who served and died in conflict. The couple was on a tour of Australia and New Zealand, along with a young Prince George.

Meghan’s First Anzac Day Service

Meghan and Harry attended the dawn service at Westminster Abbey in April 2018. While Prince William joined them for the event, Kate was at home — she had given birth to her third child, Prince Louis, just days earlier.

Kate’s First Royal Ascot

Kate joined the royals on day two of Royal Ascot in June 2016, making her debut in white.

Meghan’s First Royal Ascot

Two years later, Meghan made her Royal Ascot debut in white — do you see a trend here? The Duchess of Sussex had Harry by her side for the annual horse races.

Kate’s First Royal Christening

Kate’s first christening with the royal family was that of her firstborn, Prince George, back in October 2013.

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Meghan’s First Royal Christening

Meghan’s first foray into a royal baptism (aside from her own, of course) was in July 2018, when she and Harry attended the christening for Will and Kate’s third child, Prince Louis.

Kate’s First Gala Performance

Kate met with cast members after a performance of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe at Kensington Gardens in June 2012.

Meghan’s First Gala Performance

Meghan attended a gala performance of Hamilton in support of Prince Harry’s Sentebale charity in August 2018.

Kate’s First Solo Engagement

Three months after tying the knot, Kate hosted her first solo event, in support of the In Kind Direct charity at Clarence House in October 2011.

Meghan’s First Solo Engagement

In September 2018, four months after marrying Prince Harry, Meghan embarked on her first official solo engagement without her new husband. The Duchess of Sussex opened “Oceania,” the UK’s first-ever major survey of Oceanic art, at the Royal Academy of Arts in London.

Kate’s First Speech

Kate’s first speech was given while William was away, and rounded off the inaugural set of engagements linked to her new patronages. In March 2012, she appeared at The Treehouse — part of East Anglia Children’s Hospices.

Meghan’s First Speech

In Sept. 2018, Meghan’s first solo project was announced; she worked with the women of the Hubb Community Kitchen to create a cookbook, with all proceeds going to benefit the organization. While making her first speech as a member of the royal family, Meghan had Harry and her mom, Doria Ragland, by her side at the launch event, looking very proud.

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Kate’s First Royal Tour

In July 2011, just a few months after their wedding, Kate and William were off on their first royal tour together — covering 11 days in Canada and LA.

Meghan’s First Royal Tour

In Oct. 2018, Meghan and Harry embarked on their first royal tour as a couple — over 16 days, they covered cities in Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand.

Kate’s First Tree-Planting

On her first tour of Canada in 2011, Kate performed what is one of the constants of royal life — a tree-planting. In this case it was an eastern hemlock, situated next to the pin oak that William’s parents, Charles and Diana, had planted nearly 30 years earlier. She’s planted many more trees since then, by the way.

Meghan’s First Tree-Planting

While on her royal tour of New Zealand in 2018, Meghan got her hands dirty by helping plant trees at the unveiling of The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy in Auckland.

Kate’s First Charity Patronage

After months of research and advisory meetings, Kate’s first charity patronages were announced in January 2012. Of the five, the first that she backed up with an engagement was the following month, attending a Lucian Freud exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery.

Meghan’s First Charity Patronage

In January 2019, Meghan’s patronages were announced — and they’re all a pretty perfect fit for her. Meghan kicked off her royal work by paying a visit to Smart Works in London, where she joined discussions with volunteers as well helping a few women get styled for their upcoming job interviews.

Kate’s First Postbaby Appearance

These days Kate is a pro at the whole “I just had a baby” thing, but when she first emerged after giving birth to Prince George on July 22, 2013, the excited new mom made headlines by putting her postbaby belly on display for the world to see (and accept). Kate and Will celebrated the future king’s birth with a photo-op and gave interviews to the waiting press before putting their new baby in his car seat and heading home.

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Meghan’s First Postbaby Appearance

On May 8, 2019 — two days after giving birth to son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, Meghan and Harry greeted the press from Windsor Castle with their newborn. The couple bucked tradition by having proud dad Harry hold the baby, and when asked how motherhood was treating her so far, Meghan said, “It’s magic, it’s pretty amazing. I have the two best guys in the world, so I’m really happy.”

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