Sophie Winkleman turns down lucrative roles in the US to be near her daughters Maud (10) and Isabella (7): ‘You have to make compromises in your career’

Prince Harry claimed in his tawdry memoir, Spare, that his father advised him that Meghan Markle could stick to her acting career rather than serve as a working royal after their marriage.

Harry and Meghan rejected King Charles’ proposal, but another member of the royal family has shown that it is possible to pursue a successful acting career.

Sophie Winkleman, better known as Big Suze in Channel 4 comedy Peep Show, is married to Lord Frederick Windsor, son of Prince Michael of Kent, and continues to win leading roles.

However, she has now revealed that she has turned down lucrative television roles in the US to stay close to her daughters, Maud, who turns ten today, and Isabella, seven.

The couple lived and worked in California, where Winkleman landed a recurring role on the popular sitcom starring Charlie Sheen, Two And A Half Men, for five years until 2015.

After Two And A Half Men I got some great offers to work in America, which I didn’t because I couldn’t imagine disappearing to another country for months on end,” says Sophie, 43, the half-sister of Strictly Come Dancing co-host Claudia Winkleman.

“When you have a family, you have to make compromises in your career. So I work in Britain, where I see them every week.’

Her husband, whose father is a cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth, works for the American financial services company JP Morgan.

Winkleman plays Lady Worcester in period drama Sanditon and has just finished filming the second series of Julian Fellowes’ drama Belgravia.

The actress, who attended Queen Elizabeth’s funeral as well as royal events including Prince William and Catherine’s wedding, jokes that her household is run more efficiently when she’s on a shoot.

“However, it works well when I’m gone,” she says. “They (her children) have some order, because whoever takes care of them is never as chaotic as I am.”

Her roles included Ashton Kutcher’s character Walden’s girlfriend Zoe in Two and a Half Man.

She also wrote screenplays for Salma Hayek and Penélope Cruz. Lord Frederick continued to work for JP Morgan.

I do: Sophie, who now lives in Chelsea, married Lord Freddie at Hampton Court Palace in September 2009, after meeting him on a night out in Soho

Family: Sophie and Lord Freddy with their two daughters, Isabella Windsor and Maud Windsor, pictured at Lady Gabriella Windsor’s wedding in May 2019

In mourning: Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor with Princess Michael of Kent at the late Queen Elizabeth’s funeral at Westminster Hall in September 2022

Other appearances include roles in Peep Show, Death in Paradise, Sanditon and This is Going to Hurt.

While living in the United States, the couple welcomed their first child, daughter Maud Elizabeth Daphne Marina, who was born in August 2013 at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.

They welcomed their second daughter, Isabella Alexandra May Windsor, back to the UK. She was born at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London

Maud and Isabella were among the five bridesmaids for her sister-in-law Lady Gabriella Windsor’s wedding to Thomas Kingston in 2019.

They also attended the wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank in October 2018.

She previously described her experience moving into the royal family, telling The Times in 2020: ‘I have been incredibly welcomed with open arms by everyone.

“I have not had any negative experience. The Queen was great, Prince Charles was great, Prince William was heaven.

“If I wanted to play a role, they would never tell me anything. Everyone took care of me.’

Old times: The actress is best known in the UK for playing Big Suze in Peep Show alongside David Mitchell and Robert Webb

American success: Sophie played Zoe, girlfriend of Ashton Kutcher’s character Walden in the American sitcom Two and a Half Men