British Actress Sophie Winkleman Calls King Charles III A 'Very Dear Friend'

Sophie Winkleman talked about how the royal family welcomed her warmly after she married Lord Frederick Windsor and commented on her friendship with King Charles III in a recent magazine interview.

The British actress, famous for her role as Big Suze in the series "Peep Show", married into the royal family through Lord Frederick, the son of Queen Elizabeth's cousin Prince Michael of Kent. They met seventeen years ago during a night out in Soho. They got married in 2009 and now have two children.

Winkleman, or Lady Frederick Windsor as she is officially called, shared that she is "really good friends" with the royal family. She said in her cover interview for Tatler's February 2024 issue: "That's a really daft thing to say, but behind the camera, they're really fun, clever, kind people."

She shared a bit about her relationship with King Charles III, who is her husband's second cousin, and about his work ethic. She called the monarch a "very dear friend" and said: "I spend a bit of time with him. You see how he works all day long, has a quick supper and then disappears until about 4 a.m. to write letters."

She added: "He cares about so many things, and he comes up with brilliant solutions."

Winkleman recalled the time she was hospitalised following a car accident in London in 2017 that left her trapped in an upside-down vehicle with life-threatening injuries. She said she was touched by the support of the then-Prince Charles, who had his cook at Clarence House supply her family with meals twice a day for months.

She shared: "It was lifesaving, having this massive thing twice daily that I didn't have to worry about."

Aside from the King, other royal family members also rallied around to help her as she recovered in the hospital. She had three broken bones in her back, and had broken her foot as well. Prince William had asked an air ambulance colleague to "take good care of her" while Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, visited her in the hospital.

Winkleman also remembered how the late Queen Elizabeth II helped with her recovery afterward. She said the Queen asked how she was doing during a function and offered the use of the pool at Buckingham Palace.

"She asked how I was, and she said, 'We can't have that. You have to go in the water.' She told us that when horses had broken backs, they swam, and so she let me use her pool at Buckingham Palace. That's the reason I got better. It was so typically thoughtful," the actress said.

As for her other royal relatives, Winkleman said she admires all of them. She said: "I love Sophie Edinburgh, Sarah Chatto, Zara, the York girls, Tim and Princess Anne, Fergie, all the Kents and Gloucesters. I love Kate and William, but they're so busy and don't live in London, so I don't see them much."

The 43-year-old also previously spoke about her relationship with the royals in an interview with Hello Magazine about her role in the film "Wonka," where she plays the character named "the Duchess".

"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," she shared.

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."

Winkleman was photographed engaged in a pleasant chat with King Charles III at this year's Royal Ascot in June. She and Lord Frederick of Windsor, along with their two daughters, Maud, nine, and Isabella, seven, were recently seen supporting Kate Middleton as she hosted her third "Royal Carols: Together at Christmas" concert on December 8 at Westminster Abbey.