No heir yet: Royal bride-to-be Sophie Winkleman is in no rush for children

 

Traditionally, a royal bride has one overriding duty - to ensure the line of succession with an heir.

But while the Royal Family might hope that Lord Freddie Windsor's wedding to Sophie Winkleman will be followed in the not-too-distant future by a christening, the bride-to-be appears to have other ideas.

The 29-year-old has dashed any dreams her in-laws might have cherished by insisting she does not want children 'for years'.

Enlarge   Royal beauty: Miss Winkleman will marry Lord Freddie this weekend in the society wedding of the year

Royal beauty: Miss Winkleman will marry Lord Freddie this weekend in the society wedding of the year

The successful actress, who is to marry Lord Freddie on Saturday, said they were in no rush to provide grandchildren for Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.

Miss Winkleman, who stars in the Channel 4 comedy Peep Show, revealed: 'We're not going to have any for years.' 

In love: Miss Winkleman will marry Freddie Windsor at Hampton Court next weekend

In love: Miss Winkleman will marry Freddie Windsor, seen here at the wedding of William Astor and Lohralee Stutz on Saturday, at Hampton Court next weekend

Wedding planner: Lord Freddie's mother Princess Michael of Kent

Wedding planner: Lord Freddie's mother Princess Michael of Kent

She told society magazine Tatler: 'I'm going to be Britain's oldest mother - the current one is 66. I can't even look after my Oyster card, let alone a child.'

The couple's marriage at Hampton Court has been tipped as the society wedding of the year, with guests including Princes William and Harry and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

But like any wedding, the build-up has not been without its problems.

So many of the invited guests have said they will attend that there are fears that numbers will exceed the venue's capacity, causing a headache for the unofficial wedding planner - Miss Winkleman's prospective mother-in-law Princess Michael.

Miss Winkleman and Lord Freddie, 30, will be married in The Chapel Royal, which has a capacity of 300.

But their guest list stands at 450, it emerged yesterday, and Princess Michael has been told the overspill may have to stand at the back of the chapel.

The increased numbers have had a knock-on effect on the catering arrangements, despite the groom's mother sending her driver on several cross-Channel trips to stock up on cut-price champagne.

Even though Princess Michael, 64, has called in favours from friends to cut the costs of the lavish celebrations, the preparations are reported to have exceeded the £40,000 budget provided by the bride's parents by tens of thousands of pounds.

The princess has used her influence to convince Hampton Court not to charge corkage and has involved her team at Kensington Palace to help with the organisation.

Miss Winkleman confessed she has had little to do with the arrangements, and said she was grateful for Princess Michael's help.

Cover girl: Sophie Winkleman is featured in the lastest Tatler magazine

Cover girl: Sophie Winkleman is featured in the lastest Tatler magazine

She told Tatler: 'I think maybe I'm a man inside or something because I just haven't been very involved.

'It's a good job my future mother-in-law is very good at all that and I'm very grateful for her input. We'd end up doing it in Starbucks with two people if it was left to me.'

Miss Winkleman's dress has been designed by Anna Bystrova from Roza Couture, and her bridesmaids include her niece Matilda Thykier and Lady Helen Taylor's daughter Eloise.

After the service there will be a three-hour champagne reception in the Great Hall and celebrations will continue with a buffet dinner at the home of the groom's godmother Lady Annabel Goldsmith in Richmond, South-West London.

The couple will have little time for a honeymoon - Cambridge graduate Miss Winkleman is due to be in Los Angeles a few days later to film a new U.S. comedy series, 100 Questions For Charlotte Payne.

Lord Freddie, who works for the bank JP Morgan, has managed to get a transfer to LA to be with his wife.

  • See the full interview with Miss Winkleman in the October issue of Tatler, out tomorrow.

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