Who Is Sophie Winkleman? Here’s Everything You Need To Know About Claudia’s Half-Sister

Sophie Winkleman, actor and half-sister of TV host Claudia Winkleman has opened up about her 2009 royal wedding to Lord Frederick Windsor, the second cousin of King Charles III and son of Prince Michael of Kent. Lady Frederick Windsor gave a candid interview to Tatler, where she confessed that she ‘didn’t know anyone’ at her wedding.

‘I had my best pals there but basically it was full of faces I'd never seen before,’ Winkleman said. ‘My mother-in-law, Princess Michael of Kent, took full personal charge of it all and did it brilliantly, including what dress I was wearing.’

Winkleman didn’t even know what hairstyle she would be wearing on the day, and admitted she is horrified by it now. ‘I cannot tell you how disgusting it looked,’ she said. ‘Coming up the aisle, the first thing I said when I saw Freddie was, “I'm so sorry about the hair”. He said, “Yes, what on earth have you done?” That's pretty much all I can remember about it. My hair and being such a moron.’

Winkleman’s hilariously candid wedding confessions have renewed interest in her life as Lady Frederick Windsor, with Google Trends reporting breakout search for ‘Sophie Winkleman wedding photos’ and ‘Sophie Winkleman husband’, as well as ‘Sophie and Claudia Winkelman’.

Who is Sophie Winkleman?

Otherwise known as Lady Frederick Winkleman, Sophie Winkleman is an English actor best known for her role as Big Suze in Peep Show. The 43-year-old was born in Primrose Hill, London, to author parents, Barry Winkleman and Cindy Black.

Educated at Cambridge University, where she studied English literature, Sophie had early success in theatre after joining student sketch comedy troupe Cambridge Footlights and writing (and performing) in the comic revue Far Too Happy, which toured Britain for three months and gained the troupe's first Perrier Award nomination in 20 years.

She then joined the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain in 1997 and scored her most notable role in TV on Peep Show in 2005. She has since earned numerous TV, theatre, and film credits, also venturing into radio as a regular BBC Radio 4 comedy and drama performer.

Outside of her career, Sophie has two daughters with Lord Frederick Windsor, 10-year-old Maud Elizabeth Daphne Marina and seven-year-old Isabella Alexandra May. In 2017, she was involved in a serious head-on car crash as a backseat passenger in a vehicle that was struck after swerving to avoid a deer. Suffering a broken back and foot, Winkelman was in hospital for weeks but did not suffer long-term medical problems.

In June 2020, it was announced that she was the new royal patron of the Children's Surgery Foundation. The following month, it was announced that she would be the newest (and first female) patron of School-Home Support and in June 2022 she presented the BBC Radio 4 Appeal on its behalf.

How are Sophie and Claudia Winkleman related?

Sophie and Claudia Winkelman share a father, Barry, and are thus half-sisters. Barry was first married to journalist Eve Pollard for seven years during which time they had Claudia. Claudia is eight years older than Sophie, and while they did not grow up together, they now share a close relationship with Claudia one of Sophie’s bridesmaids at her 2009 royal wedding.

Who is Sophie Winkelman’s husband, Lord Frederick Windsor?

Lord Frederick Windsor is the son of Prince Michael of Kent and his wife Marie-Christine, known as Princess Michael. Now 53rd in line to the throne, Lord Frederick Windsor is the first cousin once removed of the late Queen Elizabeth II, a first cousin twice removed of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and a second cousin of King Charles III and his siblings.

Educated at Eton College, he studied Classics at Oxford University before beginning a career in modelling after graduation. His most notable work includes campaigns for Burberry and Tomasz Starzewsk. A very royal jack of all trades, he later became a music journalist, then intended to become a solicitor before working his way into wealth management at JP Morgan as an analyst. As of 2013, he is an executive director at JPMorgan Chase.

Lord Frederick Windsor met Sophie 17 years ago on a New Year’s Eve night out in Soho. ‘We were leaving two different parties, and we went for the same taxi,’ Sophie told Tatler. ‘His very first words to me were, “You’re Big Suze, I love you!” I looked back at this ridiculously beautiful face and thought, “Oh God. Hello, everyone. I’m going to be in trouble here.” I don’t want to be a smug wanker, but it was quite Richard Curtis.’

Their wedding, three years later, was heavily covered by tabloids at the time. Held at Hampton Court Palace, the 400+ guestlist included Princess Eugenie, musician Bryan Adams, actor Jane Asher and fellow royal ladies including Lady Annabel Goldsmith, Armani muse Lady Helen Taylor, and Lady Gabriella who was asked to give a reading during the ceremony.

Winkleman’s £5,000 wedding dress was reported to be from more than 80ft of silk duchesse satin and 36ft of silk taffeta and included a 10ft detachable train. Made by Anna Bystrova from the Russian couture house Roza (a favourite designer of her mother-in-law, Princess Michael of Kent), it featured hand-embellished sequins, beads, and crystals.

Here are the best photos from Sophie Winkelman’s wedding: