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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
World
Rebecca Russell

The TV actress who married into royalty and sent kids to same school as Prince George

She's certainly the most famous, but Meghan Markle is not the first TV actress to steal the heart of a member of the royal family.

While Prince Harry's wedding to the love of his life made headlines around the globe, another actress who married into the British dynasty saw her nuptials go a little more under the radar.

Peep Show star Sophie Lara Winkleman became royal when she wed Lord Frederick Windsor at Hampton Court Palace back in 2009, reports the Mirror.

But unlike Meghan, Sophie didn't have to quit her career and take up official duties, and she still takes on regular roles.

READ MORE - British supermum with seven boys under the age of seven describes her hectic lift

Born in Primrose Hill, London, on August 5, 1980, Sophie has made a number of impressive appearances on the silver screen over the years, including Peep Show, Sanditon and The Chronicles of Narnia.

The couple have two children, who are close to Prince George and Princess Charlotte as they all go to the same school.

Sophie is the daughter of children's author Cindy Black and Barry Winkleman and is also the half-sister of TV presenter and Strictly Come Dancing host, Claudia Winkleman.

Lord Frederick Windsor, the son of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, tied the knot on September 12 in front of all the senior royals.

Following their wedding, the couple moved to the US so that Sophie could further pursue her acting career.While living in California, their first daughter, Maud Elizabeth Daphne Marina Windsor, was born in 2013. Maud is the great-granddaughter of Prince George, Duke of Kent, as well as a great-great granddaughter of King George V.

As the 54th in line to the throne, Maud is named after several of her royal ancestors. Her first name is after Queen Maud of Norway who was a daughter of King Edward VII and Elizabeth is in honour of the Queen.

Her other middle name, Daphne, is after Sophie’s beloved grandmother and Marina was the name of Lord Frederick’s grandmother, Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark.

The couple later moved back to the UK and welcomed their second daughter, Isabella Alexandra May Windsor, at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital on January 16, 2016.

Sophie became the new royal patron of Children's Surgery Foundation and later became the first female patron of School-Home Support.

As Lady Frederick Windsor, she has been pictured standing on the Buckingham Palace balcony at national events, such as Trooping the Colour.

She recently joined the rest of the family at the memorial service for The Duke of Edinburgh and at the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral for Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee.

She was also a guest at the 2011 wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as well as at the 2019 wedding of her sister-in-law Lady Gabriella Windsor.

Speaking to Daily Mail’s Sebastian Shakespeare, Sophie even revealed that she sang at Lady Gabriella’s wedding.

The talented soprano said: "I sang one of my sister-in-law's favourite songs, Will You Love Me Tomorrow. There were a few tears but I'm not sure if it was because they were moved or wanted me to stop!"

Sophie has also spoken in detail about her daughter Maud's close bond with Prince George. In an interview with Hello , she said: "We were invited to tea at Kensington Palace just before Princess Charlotte was born.

"Maud and George got on very well… He is a very clever, articulate little boy and was speaking long before other toddlers his age."

Maud was also pictured next to Princess Charlotte when they both served as bridesmaids at Princess Eugenie’s wedding to Jack Brooksbank on October 12, 2018.

The young royals were pictured making each other laugh - something that is unsurprising given how the trio formally attended the same school together in London.

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