It turns out that before Harry and Meghan left the UK for California, another couple from the British Royal Family already did that.
In January 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shocked the world after announcing their decision to 'step back as working members' of the British Royal Family. With that, the Sussexes also chose to say goodbye to their relatives in the UK and relocated to California for permanent residence.
Before Harry and Meghan's bombshell move, however, another royal couple already settled down in the USA: Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor.
Who are Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor?
According to the Daily Mail, Lord Frederick Michael George David Louis Windsor is the only son of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. Currently 52nd in the line of succession to the British throne, he is actually the first cousin to the late Queen.
The royal, who is now a full-time financial analyst, was brought up in Kensington Palace alongside his more distant cousins, Prince Harry and Prince William.
Meanwhile, most famous as a TV actress, you may recognize Lady Frederick Windsor from shows like Two and a Half Men, Peep Show, Death in Paradise, Trust, This Is Going To Hurt, and Sanditon. In the entertainment industry, the royal is better known by her real name - Sophie Winkleman.
At Cambridge University, where she was a student, the accomplished actress got to know Lord Frederick Windsor, a son of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. The star became a part of the British Royal Family on September 12, 2009, after tying the knot with Lord Frederick Windsor at Hampton Court Palace in front of the upper royals.
Why did they move to America?
Following their wedding, the couple moved to California so that Sophie could pursue her acting career. Frederick and Sophie were a notable royal couple who divided their time between their life in the UK and overseas, albeit having now relocated completely back to the UK.
She has frequently been spotted with the Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace as Lady Frederick Windsor. She is formally called and is often photographed on public occasions. She recently joined both the late Queen's burial three months later and her Platinum Jubilee festivities.
Winkleman has already expressed her gratitude for the experience of marrying into the Royal Family. She stated: ‘I’ve been incredibly welcomed with open arms by all of them.'
She continued, praising senior members of the Royal Family:
‘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. Oh God, please don’t make me sound too gushing.'
While they are not working royals, Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor have a very close relationships with other royals. They even helped the Queen carry out a handful of trips abroad over the years, reports Metro.
Do they share any children?
The couple's first child, Maud Elizabeth Daphne Marina Windsor, was born to them on August 15, 2013, at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.
According to the Mirror, Maud, who is the 54th in line for the throne, was given her name after many members of the Royal Family. Her middle name, Elizabeth, is in honour of the Queen, while her first name is Queen Maud of Norway, a daughter of King Edward VII.
Her second middle name, Daphne, is in honour of Sophie's adored grandmother, while Lord Frederick's grandmother, Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, was given the name Marina.
Later, the couple relocated back to the UK, where Isabella Alexandra May Windsor, their second child, was born on January 16, 2016, at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.
Thomas's School in Battersea, SW London, where Prince George and Princess Charlotte began their education, is where Sophie and Frederick enrolled their kids.
Read more:
⋙ Prince Harry and Meghan Markle give fans a glimpse inside their first UK home
⋙ Prince Harry enjoys rare 'date night' with Meghan Markle in New York
⋙ Prince William and Kate Middleton have 'no plans' to see Harry and Meghan in US trip
