For a lot of couples it's not uncommon for years to pass before their parents meet one another. Sometimes it's pretty far down the line (we're talking wedding rehearsals) while for others it's birthdays or other milestone celebrations.
It can be an anxious time as, more than anything, you just want your parents to behave themselves and get on. But that doesn't always happen...
Relationships psychologist, author and Relate ambassador Anjula Mutanda says the ultimate goal of a first meeting between two sets of parents is to lay the grounds for a second meeting. "Keep it friendly and optimistic," she says. "After the first meeting, when the ice is broken, it gets easier."
With Meghan Markle's mum Doria Ragland in town to meet the royal family before the big day, we thought it would be timely to share Mutanda's dos and don'ts for a stress-free first meet.