Sophie Winkleman calls King Charles a ‘very dear friend’ and says the monarch works until 4am – while admitting she ‘didn’t know anyone’ at her 2009 wedding to Lord Frederick Windsor (and didn’t even choose her dress!)

Sophie Winkleman has lifted the lid on her life as a member of the extended royal family in the United States January issue of Tatler – calling the Windsor clan “really good friends.”

The Peep Show star, who rose to fame as Big Suze in the cult British comedy, is married to Lord Frederick Windsor and spoke with particular affection about her relationship with King Charles in the new interview, praising the monarch for his hard work and vocation . him a ‘very dear friend’.

Sophie, 43, who shares daughters Maud, ten, and Isabella, seven, with Freddie – and is the half-sister of Strictly presenter Claudia, also discussed her horror car crash in 2017 and said she assumed she was in the latter moments of her life after the blow, leading doctors to fear she was paralyzed.

The star, who will appear as a troubled duchess in Julian Fellowes’ new series Belgravia, also praised her mother-in-law, Princess Michael of Kent, for organizing her wedding in 2009 – but says she didn’t choose her own dress and ‘knew no one’.

The couple was married in the Chapel Royal at the historic Hampton Court Palace 2009.

The actor, who also recently made a cameo in Wonka, said: ‘I didn’t know anyone at my wedding. I had my best friends there, but actually it was full of faces I’d never seen before.

‘My mother-in-law, Princess Michael of Kent, took full responsibility for all of this and did so brilliantly, including the dress I wore.’

Speaking about the close relationships she has had with the royals since marrying into the Windsor family, she said: ‘[I’m] They’re really good friends with all of them – that’s a really stupid thing to say, but behind the camera they’re really nice, smart, nice people.

‘I love Sophie Edinburgh, Sarah Chatto, Zara, the York girls, Tim and Princess Anne, Fergie, all the Kents and Gloucesters.

‘I love Kate and William but they are so busy and don’t live in London so I don’t see them much.’

The Peep Show actress, who has two daughters with Lord Freddie, also told the magazine that she assumed she was in her “last few minutes” of life following the car crash that left her trapped in an overturned vehicle in 2009.

Sophie pictured on her wedding day to Lord Freddie in September 2009; The actor said her mother-in-law, Princess Michael of Kent, “took complete personal charge of everything and did it brilliantly, including what dress I wore.”

Clkose: Lady Gabriella Windsor, Lord Frederick Windsor, Sophie Winkleman, Princess Michael of Kent and Prince Michael of Kent at the Trooping the Color in June 2015

However, she reserved special praise for the monarch.

Winkleman explained, “I spend some time with him. You see how he works all day, eats quickly and then disappears until about four in the morning to write letters.

‘He thinks so many things are important and comes up with brilliant solutions.’

The star also recalled the moment she first chatted to husband Lord Freddie, saying it was a rom-com moment – which took her from a night out in Soho to walking down the aisle.

Sophie Winkleman is the daughter of Barry Winkleman and Cindy Black; her half-sister is Strictly presenter Claudia Winkleman (pictured with husband Freddie in 2012)

She said: ‘We left two different parties and we went for the same taxi.

‘His very first words to me were: ‘You are Big Suze, I love you!’ I looked back at this ridiculously beautiful face and thought, “Oh God. Hello everyone. I’m going to get in trouble here.” I don’t want to be a smug person, but it really was Richard Curtis.”

The actor was involved in a car accident in 2017 and told the magazine that she assumed she was in her final moments of life.

She was a backseat passenger in a chauffeur-driven car when another vehicle struck her car after she swerved to avoid a deer.

The car she was riding in was dramatically thrown into the air before crashing, causing life-threatening injuries.

In the latest issue of Tatler, Winkleman discussed her close friendships with the royal family

She said: ‘I was completely lucid the whole time. I assumed I was gone and you just go into this weird, non-romantic way of thinking, “Okay, these are my last few minutes. I have to do something practical.”

‘So I thought things like, “I hope things stay well with my parents to help Freddie take care of the kids, I hope he meets someone nice.”

Medics managed to cut her free, but she had broken her foot and two bones in her back; it took three days before she was told she wouldn’t be left paralyzed.

Sophie said the rehabilitation period, which lasted over a year, was “miserable” and she was unable to pick up her daughters.

The royals gathered, with Prince William asking an air ambulance colleague to ‘take good care of her’.

Sophie, then Duchess of Wessex, visited her hospital bedside and Prince Charles provided her family with two meals a day, prepared by his chef at Clarence House.

See the full article in the February issue of Tatler available via digital download and on newsstands from Thursday January 4