Some of the loveliest new friendships in my life have blossomed between me and the BFF of my BFF. Think about it like this: if you love spending time with your friend, the person they hang out with the most is likely to be someone you’ll get along with too.

I’ve found it to be a near-failsafe formula. When you first meet someone, that initial intimacy can be hard to foster, but with a bestie-in-law the groundwork is already laid. You not only have a whole person in common, they’re also likely to have similar interests and share your outlook on life.

I now count most of the friends of my friends as part of our wider circle. We have dinners together where laughter and wine flow, and visit shows and exhibitions as one big gaggle of girls. Even my own two best mates have formed the kind of bond that makes my heart double in size.

Why more of us should be embracing our ‘bestie-in-law’ friendships