If you were among the many Christmas shoppers thronging around central London's historic Somerset House on a Sunday in early December, you may have crossed paths with two rather special Big Issue vendors.
Lady Frederick Windsor, also known as the actress Sophie Winkleman, and her younger daughter, Isabella, nine, joined vendors on the streets of the capital to sell copies of the magazine, which supports homeless people.
Taking a stand
"Both my girls feel enraged that we live in a society where homelessness is accepted," Sophie tells HELLO!, as we join her to take these exclusive photos.
© tom__jamieson"How the hell is it OK to walk past someone sleeping in the street? No one should have to endure that pain and indignity – and the Big Issue is a family and a community for people who've fallen on seriously hard times.
"I'm proud that both girls feel immense compassion and empathy for homeless people, rather than any kind of judgement," she continues. "All three of us feel it could happen to anyone, including us if we hadn't had stable families and an income from both parents.”
Sophie, 45, has another daughter – Maud, 12 – with her husband, Lord Frederick Windsor, whose father, Prince Michael of Kent, is a cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
© Getty ImagesThe Big Issue
Best known for her role as Big Suze in the Channel 4 comedy Peep Show, Sophie has been an ambassador for the Big Issue since 2020, after she wrote to Lord John Bird, the charity’s co-founder, to congratulate him on an article.
"How the hell is it OK to walk past someone sleeping in the street? No one should have to endure that pain and indignity"
"When he wrote back and suggested we meet, I was truly starstruck – he's a heroic man. We got on instantly and he asked me to be an ambassador soon after that. It's one of the great honours of my life," she says.
Christmas is a crucial time to help out, she says. "It's important to buy the Big Issue at Christmas, because your local vendor is someone who has hauled themselves up from a very low place and should be honoured and treasured. Also, if you can afford to buy yourself a nice hot coffee on the way to work, you can afford to buy a Big Issue.
© Getty"You're not just giving when you buy the Big Issue, you're receiving – not just a great magazine, but also a moment of connection with someone who's been truly brave. What better way to spend a fiver?"
Sophie and Isabella spent their day with Big Issue seller Kelvin, whom Sophie describes as a "dynamic, funny, worldly man".
"No one bought from me this time," she laughs. "I need to channel Kelvin's zen tolerance; apparently I looked instantly furious when people walked past me. Not the way to be. A lovely lady bought one from Isabella, thank goodness. That was a relief."
Now, she is looking forward to spending Christmas with her family in London. "A Boxing Day walk through the park is one of my favourite things to do," she says. "We're seeing Freddie's parents in Kensington on Christmas Eve and my lovely dad is taking us all out on Christmas Day – so fun and gorgeous and no washing-up. Perfect!"
Pick up the latest issue of HELLO! to read the full interview. You can subscribe to HELLO! to get the magazine delivered free to your door every week or purchase the digital edition online via our Apple or Google apps.
