royal family

Which surprising royal family member has appeared on University Challenge? 

Which royal went on the hit quiz show? 

TV & Film Editor
June 21, 2022

The royal family are, of course, a very intelligent group of people - one of them is so smart that they once took part in the notoriously difficult quiz show, University Challenge! Can you guess who? 

MORE: The one royal family member who almost went unnoticed at Royal Ascot

Lady Sophie Windsor, also known as Sophie Winkleman, appeared on the Christmas University Challenge back in 2019, which differs slightly from the original format as teams are made up of noteworthy alumni from the competing universities rather than current students. 

WATCH: Check out Lady Sophie Windsor on University Challenge!

Sophie appeared as part of the team for Trinity Hall college at the University of Cambridge, where she read English. She was joined by Guardian’s TV critic Lucy Mangan, statistics professor Philip Dawid and filmmaker Tony Palmer. 

The team did very well on the show, winning their first match against St Peter's College, Oxford before losing out in the semi-finals to Wadham College, Oxford. The contest was ultimately won by the University of Leeds. 

Sophie competed for Trinity Hall

Sophie is a well-known actress as well as a member of the royal family, having starred in films and TV shows including The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Strike and Two and a Half Menand is perhaps best known for her role as Big Suze in the hit series Peep Show

READ: Claudia Winkleman shares intimate bedtime routine

MORE: Royal family member's starring role on Agatha Christie's Poirot revealed

Sophie read English at University 

Sophie is married to Lord Frederick Windsor, the son of the Queen’s first cousin, Prince Michael of Kent. The pair share two children, Isabella and Maud. She previously opened up about her relationship with the royals, telling The Times: "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 [racy] role. Everyone's looked after me."

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