Sophie Winkleman's huge upheaval the day after Lord Frederick royal wedding

Lord Frederick Windsor, 45, and his wife Sophie Winkleman, 44, are celebrating two big milestones this week – their 15th wedding anniversary and the start of their American adventure.

Prince and Princess Michael of Kent's son married the actress at the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court on 12 September 2009, in front of guests such as Princess Eugenie, rock star Bryan Adams, Frederick's sister Lady Gabriella Windsor, and Sophie's half-sister Claudia Winkleman.

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Sophie was an ethereal bride in a silk gown with lace sleeves, hand-embellished sequins and a three-metre train designed by one of her mother-in-law's favourite designers, Anna Bystrova from Roza Couture. 

While Sophie and Frederick were all smiles in their wedding photos, they were preparing for a big life change the following day. On their first day as husband and wife, the newlyweds shunned the tradition of heading on honeymoon and instead jetted to Los Angeles where they lived for the next six years. 

The move was prompted by their respective careers. While Frederick got a transfer with JP Morgan, Sophie starred in Two and a Half Men alongside Ashton Kutcher and wrote screenplays for Salma Hayek and Penélope Cruz.

"We thought we shouldn’t just huddle in England but be brave, do something different, so we did," she told HELLO!.

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She described the experience as "very interesting and freeing", but said they decided to move back to the UK after they welcomed their daughter Maud.

"It was quite painful because it was great for us work-wise, but it wouldn’t have been sustainable with a child," she said.

Royal support

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This allowed them to be closer to the royal family who have been a big support, from their first meeting with Sophie to delivering meals amid her recovery from her car crash in 2017, which saw her sustain a broken foot and two broken bones in her back.

Opening up about her relationship with the royal family, she told 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. Oh God, please don’t make me sound too gushing."

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