She may be queen of The Traitors castle, but Claudia Winkleman has a connection to the Royal Family.
As some might not know, the Strictly host, 53, is not the only famous face in the Winkleman family.
Claudia’s younger half-sister Sophie, 45, is an actress who married Lord Frederick Windsor in 2009, the son of Prince Michael of Kent and his wife Marie-Christine, known as Princess Michael.
Sophie is close with senior members of the Firm, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, and in November, the actress described life as a working royal is ‘total hell’ and a ‘form of torture’.
‘The more I get to know the Royal Family, the more I get that their lives are total hell and that level of unasked-for fame is a form of torture,’ she told The Times.
Sophie added members of the Royal Family have had a ‘blinding spotlight’ thrust onto them from the moment they are born.
She may be queen of the Strictly dancefloor, but Claudia Winkleman has a connection to the Royal Family
Claudia’s younger half-sister Sophie, 45, is an actress who married Lord Frederick Windsor in 2009, the son of Prince Michael of Kent and his wife Marie-Christine
‘None of them went on Pop Idol or something to be famous.
‘To have that sort of blinding spotlight in your face from when you’re born, not knowing quite whom you can trust, not knowing if someone’s going to betray you, people writing lies about you the whole time, is just brutal.
‘I feel for them all. I don’t think a life with that much scrutiny and pressure is remotely healthy, but they have no choice,’ she added.
Claudia and Sophie’s father is publisher Barry Winkleman. He shares Claudia with his first wife, journalist Eve Pollard.
They divorced when Claudia was three and Barry went on to marry author Cindy Black, with the pair welcoming Sophie on August 5, 1980.
Yet while Claudia and Sophie grew up apart, it turned out that both loved performing, with Sophie becoming a film actress and script writer.
She once explained she and the Strictly presenter had ‘very separate lives’ as children because Claudia, who is nine years her senior, lived with her mother.
Sophie was educated at the City of London School for Girls before completing an English degree at the University of Cambridge.
During her time there, she joined the Cambridge Footlights comedy troupe that, over time, has featured stars including Alan Bennett, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Emma Thompson, Stephen Fry and David Mitchell.
Sophie pictured with husband Frederick and their children Maud and Isabella earlier this month at the Together At Christmas carol service
Mother-of-two Sophie says everyone has ‘looked after’ her. Pictured with Prince William at Trooping the Colour in 2014
Claudia and Sophie’s father is publisher Barry Winkleman and the girls grew up apart (Sophie and Barry pictured on her wedding day in 2009)
The actress is best known in the UK for playing Big Suze in Peep Show alongside David Mitchell and Robert Webb
Sophie featured as Zoe, girlfriend to Ashton Kutcher’s character Walden in American sitcom Two and a Half Men
Sophie met Lord Frederick Windsor on a night out in Soho and married him in September 2009 at Hampton Court Palace.
The guests included senior members of the Royal Family and the bride’s half sister, Claudia.
The actress wore a silk gown with a sweetheart neckline made by Anna Bystrova from Roza Couture, favourite designer of her new mother-in-law, Princess Michael of Kent’s.
The dress featured hand-embellished sequins, beads and crystals, and a three-metre train.
Lady Sophie and Lord Freddie spent seven years living in Los Angeles – having moved there the day after their wedding to allow Sophie to continue her acting work.
Her roles included Ashton Kutcher’s character Walden’s girlfriend Zoe in Two and a Half Man. She also penned screenplays for Salma Hayek and Penélope Cruz. Lord Frederick continued working for JP Morgan.
Other appearances include roles in Peep Show, Death in Paradise, Sanditon and This is Going to Hurt and will star in a new TV show, Wild Cherry.
While living in the states, the couple welcomed their first child, daughter Maud Elizabeth Daphne Marina, who was born at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in August 2013.
This was actually Sophie’s second stint in LA.
She had moved there after finishing university, but she left when she believed that executives wished to make her a ‘skinny little star’.
Sophie pictured sharing a laugh with King Charles III, recently said being a senior royal looks like ‘total hell’ after spending over a decade in the royal family
Meanwhile, Claudia was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by King Charles at Windsor Castle
Claudia pictured with father Barry, mother Eve Pollard and husband Kris Thykier
They welcomed their second daughter, Isabella Alexandra May Windsor, back in the United Kingdom. She was born at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London.
Maud and Isabella were among five bridesmaids for her sister-in-law Lady Gabriella Windsor’s wedding to Thomas Kingston in 2019.
They also attended Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s wedding in October 2018.
She previously detailed her experience moving into the Royal Family, telling The Times in 2020: ‘I’ve been incredibly welcomed with open arms by all of them.
‘I haven’t had a single negative experience. The Queen’s been wonderful, Prince Charles has been wonderful, Prince William’s been heaven.
‘They’d never tell me off at all if I wanted to play some role. Everyone’s looked after me.’
Meanwhile, Claudia was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by King Charles at Windsor Castle last month.
The Strictly host was honoured for her services to broadcasting, weeks after her co-host Tess Daly received her own MBE.
