5 things Pippa can learn from Will and Kate's marriage

Always the bridesmaid, never the bride? Not for Pippa Middleton, who has announced her engagement to hedge-fund manager James Matthews!

Sure, this means the scene-stealing bridesmaid now gets to be the actual bride, but let's not forget that after the wedding comes marriage, and that's where things can get tricky — especially when said marriage is under constant scrutiny. Luckily, Pippa has her sister and brother-in-law setting quite the example for a modern marriage. Here are five takeaways that Pippa can learn from Will and Kate:

Put family first.

From their start as a newlywed twosome to their current status as a family of four, Will and Kate have made it clear where their priorities lie. After their spectacle of a royal wedding, which was watched by millions all over the world, they retreated to the privacy of their modest (well, by royal standards) rented farmhouse in Anglesey, Wales. And now they've built a fine family nest at their secluded Amner Hall estate in the countryside, where the kids can roam paparazzi-free.

But keep the public happy.

Just when we start to wonder what they're up to, Will and Kate step out with their best feet forward. Sure, we could probably look at pictures of them all day, but their calculated, savvy public relations strategy — whether it's releasing photos of their kids or making an all-smiles public appearance — give us just enough, yet keeps us wanting more.

Authenticity will get you everywhere.

Yes, they look picture-perfect, but that's doesn't mean they're actually perfect. Will and Kate are trying to make their situation work the best they can just like everyone else, and they know that a "real" quality only makes them more endearing. Pippa and James should remember to not put too much pressure on being perfect.

Make time to give back.

Sure, charity is part of Will and Kate's royal duties, but nobody can deny that helping others in need is a reminder of how fortunate one is. James and Pippa (he's 40, she's 32) have already worked together in a charity project, the Michael Matthews Foundation, named for his older brother, who was then the youngest Brit to summit Mt. Everest, in 1999, and died descending. In 2014, sporty Pippa and her younger brother James Middleton, participated in a bike race across America to raise money for the foundation.

And maybe most importantly, make time for each other.

Shortly after Prince George was born, the couple got some heat for taking a vacation without him. But as any parent knows, time away from the kids is good for the entire family! Besides, what better gift can they give their children than an example of a healthy relationship?