Royalty and Me (Well, Not Quite Yet)

My father's family name was Winkelman. I changed mine in 1973 when I became a citizen of Israel although I had been known in Betar circles by Medad since 1965.

My father's family came from Zbarz (and here).

Well, let's get to the news:

The son of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent has got engaged to his actress girlfriend...Lord Frederick Windsor, 29, will wed Sophie Winkleman, 28, later this year after the royal proposed to his partner on Valentine's Day.

The Eton and Oxford educated Lord Frederick works as a banker for JP Morgan's private banking division.

...Miss Winkleman...has starred in a number of television comedy series. She's best known for playing Big Suze in the Channel 4 comedy Peep Show and also starred in the BBC's Ruddy Hell! It's Harry And Paul.

The actress, who is half-sister to TV presenter Claudia Winkleman, also played Princess Eleanor in The Palace, a drama about a fictional British royal family.

A spokesman for Lord Frederick's parents said: 'It is with very great pleasure that Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and Mr and Mrs Barry Winkleman announce the engagement of Lord Frederick Windsor to Miss Sophie Winkleman'.

Barry Winkleman's grandfather also came from Zbarz and, with but 3000 Jews in the town at around 1900, Barry's sister, Sally Soames, is quite convinced that we are related, perhaps as distant cousins.

In any case, Mazal Tov!

Who knows, I may get close to royalty yet.

A previous post on the matter.


(Kippah tip: CR)

P.S.  To update: they're married. Two children.  And has suffered a car cash.