Winkleman and Lord Frederick wound up moving back to London in 2013 to be nearer to the family, whom the actress described as “positive” and “caring.”
She told Insider in an interview that she was known as Sophie Winkleman in acting circles – but that keeping her royal identity a secret was also key for another reason.
By opting not to utilise her significant other’s imperial last name, Winkleman kept her royal connections under wraps before finding success writing screenplays for Salma Hayek and Penélope Cruz.
In 2011, she secured a recurring role for two seasons alongside Ashton Kutcher in Two and a Half Men, one of the most successful shows in American sitcom history.