Sophie Winkleman and Lord Frederick Windsor, the only son of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, tied the knot at Hampton Court Palace on this day back in 2009.
Sophie Winkleman and Lord Frederick Windsor, who met on a night out in Soho, have now been married for 14 years. They celebrated their anniversary on September 12.
At the time Sophie, 43, was gaining popularity for her role as Big Suze in Channel 4’s Peep Show, while Lord Frederick is 53rd in line to the throne.
By virtue of her marriage, she became entitled to be styled as Lady Frederick Windsor, but continues to use her own name in her professional career.
But despite their very different backgrounds, the pair looked happier than ever at their ceremony, which featured 400 guests including Princess Eugenie, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, Lady Annabel Goldsmith, actress Jane Asher, Lady Helen Taylor and singer Bryan Adams.
Claudia Winkleman, Sophie’s half-sister, was also in attendance on the day.
The actress looked simply stunning in a £5,000 dress made by Anna Bystrova, who is a designer loved by her mother-in-law.
The pair chose the historic Hampton Court Palace as their wedding backdrop, a Grade I listed royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, which was one of Henry VIII’s favourite residences.
Years on from their lavish wedding, the pair are now proud parents to two daughters, nine-year-old Maud and Isabella, seven.
Princess Michael of Kent spoke candidly about her relationship with Sophie following the nuptials, saying: “Already she is like a daughter to us.
“We are enchanted with Sophie.”
Speaking to The Times in 2020, Sophie also talked about the wonderful time she has shared with the Royal Family since becoming a member in 2009.
Sophie explained: “I’ve been incredibly welcomed with open arms by all of them.
“The Queen’s been wonderful, Prince Charles has been wonderful, Prince William’s been heaven.”
Sophie also had the full support of the royal family when she was injured in a horror car accident in November 2017.
The actress was a back-seat passenger in a chauffeur-driven car when another vehicle struck her after swerving to avoid a deer.
Sophie sustained life-threatening injuries, later admitting she assumed she was a “goner” and had contemplated her husband’s life without her.
She suffered a broken foot and two bones in her back but was told three days later that she wouldn’t be left paralysed.
Sophie said the rehabilitation after the accident was “miserable” but the royals rallied around her.
Prince William is even thought to have asked an air ambulance colleague to “take good care” of her, while the then Prince Charles supplied her family with two meals a day cooked by his Clarence House chef.
Sophie said: “I heard from pretty much every member of Freddie’s family, I was spoiled to bits by them.”
Meanwhile, discussing her acting career in relation to the royals, she added: “They’d never tell me off at all if I wanted to play some [racy] role. Everyone’s looked after me. Oh God, please don’t make me sound too gushing.”
And despite her connection to Strictly through her relation to host Claudia, Sophie explained that we won’t be seeing her on the show any time soon.
She said: “No, I can’t go near a dancing programme.
“No, definitely not. I would save the viewers such a horror.”
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Photo credit: Getty