Sophie Winkleman has opened up about her famous friends in a recent interview, including one of her daughters’ godparents.
The 45-year-old actress, who is married to Lord Frederick Windsor, is close friends with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver. The pair first met while filming *Food Revolution USA* back in 2011. When Sophie and Frederick’s second daughter, Isabella, was born in 2016, the couple chose Jamie to be one of her godparents. The christening took place in the Chapel at Kensington Palace when Isabella was just five months old.
Isabella wore the royal christening gown, which has also been worn by Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. The Honiton lace gown is a replica of one made for Queen Victoria’s daughter, Princess Victoria, in 1841.
Speaking to *The Times*, Sophie praised Jamie Oliver, saying:
“Jamie’s trying to do something good. It’s another weird British thing: if someone tries to put themselves above the parapet, people hurl rocks at them. He could just be a loaded chef and [headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh] could be in charge of the best school in Britain, but instead they try to change lives.”
Jamie, now 50, rose to fame on his BBC Two series *The Naked Chef* in 1999—a reference to the simplicity of his recipes. Since then, he has fronted many TV shows and authored numerous cookbooks. He is also the owner of several restaurants, including Jamie Oliver Catherine Street in Covent Garden.
In 2005, Jamie launched the campaign *Feed Me Better* to introduce healthier foods to schoolchildren. The campaign was later backed by the government. He shares five children with his wife, Juliette “Jools” Norton.
Sophie also revealed that Jamie made her a special cake for her 40th birthday five years ago—a chocolate layer cake topped with Twix and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
### Family Life and Views on Education
Sophie and Frederick, who married at Hampton Court Palace in 2009, currently live in London with their two daughters. The couple spent the first seven years of their marriage living in Los Angeles, where their eldest daughter, Maud, was born in 2013. Their second daughter, Isabella, was born in 2016 at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London.
Speaking to *The Times*, Sophie shared that her parents, who live nearby, help out a lot. “We rely on them so much. I’m very strict with them. They’re not allowed to get ill; they have to eat just kale and beetroot for the rest of their lives,” she joked.
Sophie is also outspoken about her opposition to screen-based learning in schools for children. She has organized talks and events on the subject. “Silicon Valley guys send their children to schools where the tech use is unbelievably moderate because they know how addictive this stuff is, and yet we’re lapping it all up like idiots,” she said.
“It’s absolute junk but it looks progressive and shiny, so billions are being invested into it that should go into having more teachers in state schools, with higher salaries. I don’t understand why decision-makers don’t talk to teachers, who see how rubbish this all is. Or to doctors—they are seeing so many bad effects from too much screen use: eyesight issues, hormone disruption, sleep imbalance, posture deformation.”
While Sophie admits that her eldest daughter, Maud, now owns a smartphone, she does not have social media accounts.
https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/867506/jamie-oliver-surprising-royal-godparent-role/
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