British actress Sophie Winkleman, also known as Lady Frederick Windsor, has described life in the royal family as “total hell," saying the constant public scrutiny and pressure faced by royals is a form of torture.

Winkleman, 45, married Lord Frederick Windsor, the son of Prince Michael of Kent, Queen Elizabeth II’s first cousin, in 2009. Speaking to The Times, she said the reality of royal life is far from the fairy-tale image often portrayed in the media.

“The more I get to know the royal family, the more I get that their lives are total hell and that level of unasked-for fame is a form of torture," she told the newspaper.

She added that none of the royals chose fame, saying, “None of them went on [the U.K. reality music competition] Pop Idol or something to be famous. To have that so

See Full Page