Claudia Winkleman's royal relatives as Strictly star receives MBE
Strictly Come Dancing host Claudia Winkleman is to receive an MBE in the King's Birthday Honours List – but she has had her fair share of encounters with the royals
Claudia Winkleman may be receiving an MBE, but she has a very close relationship with the Royal Family. The Strictly Come Dancing host and her co-star Tess Daly will be awarded an MBE for services to broadcasting as part of King Charles ' Birthday Honours, alongside the likes of Sir David Beckham and darts ace, Luke Littler.
Speaking of the recognition, Claudia said: "I am incredibly grateful to receive this honour. It's a real privilege to work with extraordinarily talented people and I have only got this because of them. So this is for the BBC, the traitors and the faithful, for pianos and for the cha cha. I will buy a hat and am taking my mum. I am ridiculously lucky and will celebrate with Tess by doing a paso double."
This, however, isn't her first brush with royalty as Claudia is technically related to the King. The 53-year-old was an only child until her parents, Eve Pollard and Barry Winkleman, divorced in 1975. After Barry remarried with Cindy Black, he went on to welcome daughter Sophie Winkleman, 44, an actress.
While Sophie is best known for playing Big Suze in the sitcom Peep Show, the actress is in fact, royal. The actress married into the House of Windsor in September 2009, tying the knot with Lord Frederick Windsor, the son of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent at Hampton Court Palace.
Upon their marriage, Sophie has been styled as Lady Frederick Windsor, but uses her maiden name for work purposes. Their wedding was attended by Lady Gabriella Kingston, Princess Eugenie, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, Lady Helen Taylor, and, of course, Sophie's sister, Claudia. In keeping with royal marriages, the late Queen Elizabeth consented to the marriage, as required by the Royal Marriages Act 1772.
Now, he and Sophie are 53rd in line to the throne. Frederick was a first cousin once removed of the late Queen, a first cousin twice removed of the late Prince Philip and is also the second cousin once removed of King Charles – meaning Claudia has a distant relation to His Majesty.
While neither Claudia nor Sophie frequently open up about their regal in-laws, Sophie has, on rare occasions, spoken about her family. "Family isn't always brilliant but this lot are very sweet," she said on the Daily T podcast. She went on to add: "I love all of them."
She went on to add: "I've got much more friendly with them as I've got to know them." Meanwhile, in an interview with HELLO! Magazine, she said of Catherine, Princess of Wales: "She's wonderful. I last saw her at Wimbledon; it was so cheering to see her, beautiful as ever. She's been amazingly brave and is doing so well."
Reflecting on her cousin-in-law, the King, Sophie told the outlet: "Duty and service run through him like a stick of rock; it just doesn't occur to him to rest, something which those who love him are desperate for him to do. He's battling cancer and doesn't give himself a moment off – he's a hugely inspirational man.
"The central royal family work very hard. It's not an easy existence, having a spotlight on you from the second you're born. I count pretty much every one of them as a trusted friend. I'm very lucky." But this isn't Claudia's only connection with the royals – it's said that the broadcaster has a close bond with Her Majesty Queen Camilla, who is "one of Strictly's greatest fans."
Tess Daly's husband, Vernon Kay, said: "Camilla and Tess have a real friendship through it now. They don't text, but we have mutual friends and messages come through. When they see each other, the Queen is always asking: 'Who is your favourite?' She wants to know the backstage gossip. It's crazy to think of the King and Queen sat on the sofa with a brew watching your wife present Strictly."
The late Queen Elizabeth was also a fan of the show, and Princess Catherine is said to be a huge fan. Meanwhile, Princess Anne previously confessed that she would love to sign up for the show, according to professional dancer Nadiya Bychkova.
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