Lady Frederick Windsor Classifies Royal Family’s Lives as “Total Hell”

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Sophie Winkleman isn’t writing any love letters about regal fame.  

The actress from The Palace, who married Lord Frederick Windsor—Queen Elizabeth II’s first cousin once removed—in 2009, recently spoke openly about how it’s been to watch her family members deal with public attention.

Sophie, 45, recently told The Times that getting to know the royal family has shown her how difficult their lives are. She described the constant, unwanted attention as a kind of torment, emphasizing that they didn’t choose fame like contestants on a show like Pop Idol.

She explained that growing up constantly in the public eye is incredibly difficult. It means never knowing who to trust, always worrying about betrayal, and constantly being subjected to false stories. She sympathizes with people in that situation, believing such intense scrutiny and pressure aren’t good for anyone, but recognizing they often have no way to escape it.

Sophie and her husband, parents to Maude, 11, and Isabella, 9, aren’t working members of the royal family, but Sophie has always been aware of just how famous and influential her in-laws are in the U.K. She first experienced this firsthand at her wedding, where almost all of the 400 guests were royals.

In a recent interview, the former Peep Show star shared that they didn’t recognize most of the guests at their wedding. While their closest friends were there, the reception was largely filled with people they hadn’t met before.

Sophie observed that, just like at her wedding, the presence of senior royals – including King Charles III, Prince William, Kate Middleton, and others – significantly boosts the importance and impact of any event or charity they support.

She explained that senior members of the royal family dedicate a lot of effort to supporting numerous charities, both publicly and privately. She also highlighted The King’s Trust as a leading organization in helping people improve their social and economic standing in Britain.

I’ve been following Sophie’s story, and it’s so interesting to hear about her wedding to Lord Frederick! It’s not the first time she’s talked about it, actually. She mentioned earlier this summer that they were really rushed with planning, because she was so busy filming. Thankfully, her mother-in-law – Princess Michael of Kent, whose husband is Prince Michael of Kent, a cousin of the late Queen – really stepped up and helped, even choosing Sophie’s wedding dress! It’s lovely to see that kind of support.

She explained to The Telegraph in May that she was happy to let someone else take the lead. She said, ‘I thought, perfect, someone else can handle everything!’ At the time, she was focused on a new acting role and dealing with her grandmother’s illness, so she was glad to have the help.

Although she would have preferred a less elaborate gown, she’s thankful her in-laws were there for her when she was so stressed.

“Family isn’t always brilliant, but this lot are very sweet,” she expressed. “I love all of them.”

Keep reading to see more royal news…

Following Prince Andrew’s decision to step down as Duke of York, King Charles III announced that his brother would also lose his home at Royal Lodge and no longer be known as a Prince.

Buckingham Palace announced today that King Charles has begun the official process of removing Prince Andrew’s royal titles and honors. He will now be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.

Prince Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles III, has announced he will no longer use the title Duke of York. This decision comes because of ongoing public concern about his association with the late Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender.

After talking with The King and my family, I’ve decided that the ongoing accusations against me are taking attention away from the important work of His Majesty and the Royal Family,” Prince Andrew said in a statement. “Like I did five years ago, I’m prioritizing my family and country, and I stand by my decision to step back from public duties.”

Andrew stated that, with the King’s approval, he was taking a further step and would give up his royal title and any honors he’d received. He also reiterated that he strongly denied the claims made against him.

 

In October 2025, the King and his oldest son attended the Countdown to COP30 event held at the Natural History Museum in London.

The couple took photos outside the museum, then went inside to discuss climate change solutions with government officials and activists. This meeting happened before the COP30 World Leaders Summit in Belém, Brazil, in November, which Prince William will attend in place of his father.

In September 2025, Sarah, Duchess of York, stepped down as a patron of Julia’s House after an old email from 2011 to Jeffrey Epstein surfaced. In the email, she referred to him as a friend.

After details of the Duchess of York’s communication with Jeffrey Epstein became public this weekend, Julia’s House has decided it’s no longer appropriate for her to continue her role as a patron of the charity, according to The Guardian. The charity has informed the Duchess of this decision and expressed gratitude for her previous contributions.

According to a representative from Ferguson, the email was sent following a threat made against her by Epstein.

After a 19-month absence, Prince Harry was spotted arriving at Clarence House—the King’s home in London—likely to visit his father before attending another event in the city.

I remember when Harry arrived at the house around 5:20 p.m. on September 10th. It was interesting to learn that Charles had actually gotten back just a few hours before him!

Princess Anne’s son and his former husband, Mark Phillips, announced on August 1st that he will marry his girlfriend, Harriet Sperling. The couple had been dating for over a year.

The couple’s spokesperson told Hello! magazine that both families were told together and were very happy about the engagement.

Just a day before turning 78, the royal was made an honorary Vice Admiral by the Royal Navy.

Camilla is the first woman to receive this honorary title. It’s awarded only by the monarch – in this case, her husband, King Charles III – based on a recommendation from the First Sea Lord, currently Sir Gwyn Jenkins.

Just hours before she was scheduled to attend, Princess Catherine cancelled her appearance at Royal Ascot, the annual horse race. Kensington Palace confirmed the news to NBC News.

The palace said Kate was sad to miss the event, but is still working out how to best manage her public appearances as she recovers from cancer.

Prince Harry’s legal battle for extra security ended on May 2nd when the courts rejected his case. This came more than a year after a previous request for increased protection was denied by the High Court and the Royal and VIP Executive Committee.

After Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stopped being full-time working royals in 2021 and moved to the U.S., their security arrangements were reduced. However, Harry later asked for continued security protection during his visits back to the U.K.

Prince Harry told the BBC on May 2nd that he was deeply upset by the outcome of his recent legal fight. He stated that, as things currently stand, he doesn’t foresee returning to the UK with his wife and children.

In an interview with the BBC on May 2nd, Prince Harry said his father, King Charles III, isn’t currently speaking to him due to disagreements about security. He expressed hope that they could resolve their differences and rebuild their relationship.

As a devoted follower of Prince Harry, it was really touching to hear him say he’d love to rebuild his relationship with his family, especially his dad and brother. It sounds like he’s willing, but it’s really up to his father to make the first move, which is a little heartbreaking, honestly.

He doesn’t foresee returning to the U.K. with his family anytime soon. He expressed sadness at the thought of his children never getting to know his home country.

Harry explained that his father has significant influence and could potentially solve the situation. He doesn’t necessarily need to get directly involved, but simply allow the professionals to handle things and continue their work.

After years of fighting, he’s now seeking peace and a chance to make amends. He explained, “Life is short, and my father doesn’t have much time left.”

More than a year after revealing his cancer diagnosis, King Charles wrote on April 29th that going through treatment has shown him the incredible kindness and strength of people.

In a booklet offering support to people with cancer, Charles wrote that receiving a diagnosis is understandably scary for patients and their families. However, drawing from his own experience, he shared that it can also reveal incredible kindness and strength in others.

He expressed gratitude to the healthcare workers who cared for him, and shared that the experience deepened his respect for the incredible work done by the organizations and people present, many of whom he’s known and supported for a long time.

I was absolutely gutted to find out that William, Kate, George, Charlotte, and Louis weren’t at the Easter service at Windsor this year! I always love seeing them all together, and it just felt…wrong not seeing them walking into St. George’s Chapel. Seriously, I was checking my phone for updates all morning, and then to find out they didn’t even go? It’s just so unusual! I’m really hoping everything is okay with them.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla joined the rest of the royal family in celebrations, but Prince William and Kate chose to spend the weekend at their country home in Norfolk with their children, according to several news sources.

This was the second Easter the couple missed. It happened just a week after Princess Catherine shared news of her cancer diagnosis.

On April 15th, Jason Knauf was named the new Chief Executive Officer of Prince William’s environmental initiative, The Earthshot Prize. In a statement on the organization’s website, Knauf expressed his excitement about collaborating with the team and the Earthshot community to pursue their goal of hopeful action for the planet.

He received a promotion almost seven years after he reported concerns about Meghan Markle, claiming she had bullied two personal assistants and tried to discredit another staff member. Representatives for the Sussexes denied these claims, telling The Times that the story was a deliberate attempt to damage their reputation with false and harmful information.

Buckingham Palace looked into the claims, but the investigation concluded in 2022 with no public announcement of the results.

William and Kate’s eldest son George attended a soccer match in Paris alongside his dad April 7. 

A father and son happily watched the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final match between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa at Parc des Princes stadium.

Graham Craker, a former bodyguard to Prince Harry and Prince William, passed away in April at the age of 77.

Craker was with Princes William and Harry when they found out their mother, Princess Diana, had passed away, and he was present during the funeral.

In 2017, Craker told The New York Post that he saw Prince William acknowledge him while the Queen Mother’s hearse passed. Craker had been standing at the back of the hearse and nodded to William, who seemed reassured that Craker was with his mother during her final journey.

Oh my gosh, you guys, I’m absolutely losing it! Hugh Grosvenor – yes, the Hugh, Prince William and King Charles’s godson – and his wife, Olivia, are expecting a baby! I saw the announcement on March 12th and I’ve been buzzing ever since. Their first baby! It’s just…everything!

A spokesperson announced to The Telegraph that the duchess is pregnant and expecting a baby this summer. The couple expressed their joy and excitement about starting a family.

Prince Frederik, the son of Prince Robert and Princess Julie, passed away on March 1st at the age of 22 following a struggle with a rare genetic condition called PolG mitochondrial disease.

To me, Frederik is a true superhero – he’s always been that for our whole family, and so many of our friends. Now, with the incredible work of his PolG Foundation, he’s impacting lives all over the world. What I admire most about him is his ability to inspire others, simply by living his life as an example. He truly leads by doing, and it’s something I’ve always looked up to.

 

Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, reached a legal settlement with News Group Newspapers – the company behind both The Sun and the now-closed News of the World – on January 22nd. He had sued them in 2019, claiming their journalists and investigators illegally obtained information about the royal family.

The company agreed to pay a significant amount in damages and issued a complete and sincere apology to Prince Harry. They also publicly acknowledged the widespread and intrusive media coverage of both his and his mother, Princess Diana’s, private lives, according to NBC News.

On January 14th, The Princess of Wales shared the wonderful news that her cancer treatment has been successful and she is now in remission.

She announced on X (formerly Twitter) on January 14th that her cancer is in remission and she’s concentrating on getting better. She added that, like anyone facing a cancer diagnosis, she’s still adjusting to life after it.

She added that she was excited about the year ahead and optimistic about what it would bring.

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is grieving the loss of her rescue beagle, whom she adopted back in 2015, before she met Prince Harry.

On January 7th, she shared a heartfelt message on Instagram about crying so much she’d lost count. She described the kind of tears that make you want to hide in the shower, hoping the water will wash away the pain, even though you know it won’t. She ended by saying it’s okay to feel those tears.

Meghan fondly remembered her beloved Guy, saying, “Thank you for always loving me, and for bringing so much joy to my life.”

 

Edward Pettifer, the stepson of Prince William and Prince Harry’s former nanny, Tiggy Legge-Bourke (also known as Alexandra Pettifer), was a victim in the New Orleans terrorist attack on New Year’s Day.

Prince William and Catherine were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Ed Pettifer. In a message shared on Kate Middleton’s Instagram account on January 4th, Prince William stated their thoughts are with the Pettifer family and everyone affected by this terrible tragedy.

Meghan Markle, known for her role in the TV show Suits, launched a new Instagram account on January 1st. She had previously closed her personal social media accounts just before marrying Prince Harry in 2018.

The next day, she revealed a new Netflix series called With Love, Meghan. A press release described the show as a fresh take on lifestyle programs, combining helpful tips and honest chats with both familiar and new friends.

In June 2025, Prince William and Kate Middleton were seen with their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, at a special event held for Wimbledon.

It was wonderful being back at Wimbledon for the Championships this weekend,” the family shared on Instagram. “Congratulations to Iga Świątek and Jannik Sinner on their victories! We also want to thank everyone who helped make the tournament so amazing.

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2025-11-12 21:23