These Hollywood Celebrities Are Actually Related To Royalty
We often confuse the two: Hollywood royalty and actual royalty. Nowadays, it seems we admire our actors, singers, tech entrepreneurs, or writers just as much as actual royals. What changed? Well, first it could be the enhanced social media world in which we live. It could also be because people are quicker to admire talent and hard work over a hereditary system.
Regardless, here are some people from Hollywood who actually are related to Queen Elizabeth and the British royal family. Let’s take a look, shall we?
Hilary Duff Is America’s Royal
The former Disney star is currently the closest relative to Queen Elizabeth. Duff is her 18th cousin through Alexander Spotswood – a British Army officer. He was also the 10th great-grandson of Edward III.
As well as this connection, the Lizzie McGuire actress is also a distant relative of Catherine Car – the illegitimate daughter of King Henry VIII. Now that’s royalty! We wonder if she has ever met any of her distant family members…
Brooke Shields
Brooke Shields is an actress, model, and overall superstar in Hollywood. It turns out she is also British royalty! As well as Duff, Shields is an 18th cousin to Queen Elizabeth II once removed. So, there’s one gap in terms of generations that separate them from each other.
On the other side, Brooke Shields is also a distant royal descendent of King Henry IV of France! One of her relatives was born in the Louvre, in France. Are you surprised to know this actress is such royalty?
Robert Pattinson
This British actor used to play a Vampire on our screens, but did you know he related to an alleged one, too? It turns out that this Twilight star is a distant relative to Vlad the Impaler – the man who inspired the fictional Dracula!
It is understood that the actor is also related to Prince William and Prince Harry through his father’s side, too. They are both descendants from the Pickering family – who are from the north of England.
Ellen Degeneres
America’s favorite chatshow host recently revealed that she is related to Kate Middleton. Apparently, their bloodline can be traced all the way to 15th cousins. This means that while Ellen might not be related to Queen Elizabeth, she shares some of the same blood as the future King, Prince George!
She probably won’t see him become King one day, but it’s pretty cool to know that your baby cousin will rule the Commonwealth. We would love to see a family reunion!
Madonna
The Queen of Pop has French-Canadian roots that connect her to Camilla Parker Bowles, the Duchess of Cornwall. While this is impressive, it doesn’t make Madonna a relation by blood – only through marriage.
Madonna is the 9th cousin once removed from the future Queen of England and the Commonwealth. Maybe she will perform at royal events in the future? Either way, we’re impressed by this Queen and her relation to the Queen!
Guy Richie
Technically, director Guy Richie was related to the Royal Family through marriage when he was wedded to his former wife, Madonna. However, the British filmmaker is sixth cousins to Kate Middleton the Duchess of Cambridge.
According to sources, they grew up together and shared quite the bond. He even attended the royal wedding in 2011 as a friend of the family. It would be great if Richie directed a royal biopic one day – maybe he can cameo as the royal cousin!
Celine Dion
Another connection to the French-Canadian Parker Bowles, singer Celine Dion is descendent of the Cloutier family. This means that Dion, Madonna, and Camilla Parker Bowles are all related to one another.
This makes us think that the Duchess has some hidden singing talents. As far as we know, Celine Dion has not made contact with her British royal relatives, but it’s never too late to touch base.
Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt is connected to quite a few people that are sure to turn heads. He’s distantly related to former President Barack Obama but also some interesting British figures. The actor’s 25th cousin is King Henry II, who ruled over England between 1154-1189.
He was mostly known for rebuilding the British government after a collapse. This makes him a cousin to Queen Elizabeth and the British royal family. On his American side, he is also related to General Robert E. Lee, a commander during the American Revolution.
Jake Gyllenhaal
He might be one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, but Jake Gyllenhaal is a lot more than just a celebrity. His family tree can be traced back all the way to King Edward III, who ruled between 1327-1377. This makes him 19th cousins to the current Queen Elizabeth.
Apparently, Gyllenhaal also has ties to Charles VIII – the King of Sweden and Norway until 1470. We could definitely see him play a royal in a film or television show – what do you think? Perhaps and old King Lear?
Angelina Jolie
Much like her former husband, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie is full of royal blood. The actress and activist
We can totally see her trying to buddy up with her royal cousins and try to take her activism to a British and French stage. Her French socialite bloodline must make it easier for her to mingle and get to know people in high places.
Tilda Swinton
Most people who share lineage with the royal family can be connected through the Windsor family. However, Scottish actress Tilda Swinton can claim heritage to the Scottish royal family.
She is a descendant of Robert the Bruce, the Scottish King who fought for control of Scotland in the 1300s. Sound familiar? It’s the real life and true story of the Hollywood film Braveheart. We can totally see how the actress could be seen as Scottish royalty.
Paris Hilton
This socialite has always acted like a princess, and now we know why! As well as her American connections, Paris Hilton is also the 20th cousin of Queen Elizabeth. These two share Henry II as a relative through Richard Hilton.
Considering her behavior, we can totally understand how she thinks she is a royal. Sorry, Paris, 20th cousin to the Queen doesn’t make you royalty in America. It turns out she is a commoner like most of us.
Johnny Depp
We might know him best as a pirate, but actor Johnny Depp actually has royal blood running through him. During a recording of Who Do You Think You Are?, the Hollywood actor discovered he is related to Queen Elizabeth!
The two are 20 times removed, which is quite a lot to be fair. Researchers went back 500 years and discovered that he’s related to the Deppes family – French Huguenots from the 14th century. We would love to see him acting in a royal drama.
Ralph Fiennes
He’s one of the most quintessentially British actors, and now we know why. It turns out that the Harry Potter star has connections to royal lineage via King James II of Scotland. This makes him an 8th cousin to Prince Charles.
So, Fiennes isn’t just comfortable playing a royal on TV and film – he’s ready to embrace his royal heritage. Maybe we will see Ralph Fiennes playing Prince Charles in a film about his life one day? After playing Henry VI and Richard II in Shakespeare plays, we’re sure the actor would love to.
Bill Hader
This SNL funnyman appeared on Finding Your Roots to discover more about his family background. Let’s just say he was pretty surprised to find out where he came from! Hader has two notably ancestors: King Edward I and the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne.
As it goes, Charlemagne conquered Europe and brought states together in a time of war. If you’re wondering if any of these war skills carried through to today, Hader confessed he can’t even use a coffee machine. Oops!
Beyonce
Um, obviously we knew Queen Bey is related to the Queen – and now it’s been proved! While her fans often refer to Beyonce as ‘Kween’, genealogists have actually gone and studied her bloodline to confirm its accuracy.
The Single Ladies popstar is actually 12th cousin once removed to Queen Elizabeth II. Perhaps it’s fairer to say that Queen Elizabeth is related to Beyonce? We’re not sure who is more #Blessed here…
Kit Harington
He plays the King of the North in the wildly successful Game of Thrones, and Kit Harington is also related to one in real life. According to sources, Harington is related to Charles II of England. This is said to be through his grandmother who married Richard Harington.
He had the royal title of 12th Baronet Harington. Can you believe how closely related he is to actual royalty? Let’s hope this helps his chances in the final season of the HBO show.
Rose Leslie
Game of Thrones star Rose Leslie doesn’t need to rely on her real-life husband Kit Harington to be part of the Royal Family. In fact, she has royal blood on both parts of her family tree. Her father is a chieftain of the Aberdeenshire clan, while her mother is a direct descendant of King Charles II!
Technically, this means that Rose and Kit are both descendants of the same person (King Charles II), making them distant cousins. How very Targaryen of them!
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Well, it’s only fair that we include Maggie Gyllenhaal in this list! As Jake Gyllenhaal’s older sister, she would have more chance to become a queen than he would king! Maggie has all the same ties to royalty as her brother, obviously, which makes her royal among the rest.
Maggie Gyllenhaal is perhaps best known for her role in The Dark Knight – one of the best superhero films ever made. Today, she is happily married and doesn’t practice any rule duties!
Benedict Cumberbatch
One of the most iconic British actors working today, does it really surprise you to know that Benedict Cumberbatch is related to Royalty? The Marvel and Sherlock star is a distant relative of King Richard II of England. This makes him the perfect Shakespearean actor to tackle a royal role!
Interestingly, Cumberbatch is also related to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – author of the Sherlock Holmes short stories. It appears to be destiny all round for this famous face.
Meghan Markle
In case you haven’t heard, Hollywood actress Meghan Markle is the latest addition to the Royal Family after marrying her prince in 2018. Even though she married in, there is actually evidence to suggest she is distantly related to her new husband.
Markle is actually related to King Edward III of England, making her of British descent. Not only is she related to Prince Harry et al, but also to millions of Britons and Americans. Welcome to the family, Duchess!
Elle and Dakota Fanning
These young starlets might be acting royalty in the Hollywood community, but it actually runs pretty deep into the family, too! The Fanning girls are the 22nd great-granddaughters of King Edward III of England. According to the site Ancestry, this means they are distant relatives of the British Royal Family.
Interestingly, the same site has also claimed that the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, is related to King Edward III. This means that Middleton and the Fannings are 21st cousins – but who’s counting?
George and Jeb Bush
The Bush family is much more than just one of America’s largest political dynasties. It turns out that George and Jeb Bush are 11th cousins, twice removed from Britain’s very own People’s Princess, Diana.
Amazingly the Bushes are related to quite a few famous faces, including Brad Pitt, Marilyn Monroe, Hugh Hefner, and Tom Hanks. When a country is only 240 years old, you’re bound to get a few overlaps across the few generations there have been.
Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber shot to fame as a young Youtube star and has amassed millions of fans around the world. He might be seen as Prince Charming to many young girls, but that’s not even the tip of it. It turns out the Baby singer is, in fact, royalty.
He’s a distant cousin of Camilla Parker-Bowles and Celine Dion (mentioned previously). It appears that there’s a whole royal community in Canada who can sing and dance their way to the Royal stage. Are you surprised to hear that the Sorry star is a royal? We expect nothing less from this diva.
Barack Obama
Who can say that they are both presidential and royal? Well, the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, can count himself as both! Scientists have claimed that he is the 9th cousin twice removed to the Queen.
He owes this honor to his distant relative, King John of England. Now THAT’S impressive. Would you rather be a royal or a President? It’s a tough one, and Obama can say both.
Uma Thurman
Uma Thurman is a frequent collaborator with Quintin Tarantino, appearing in films such as Kill Bill, and Pulp Fiction. Aside from her stellar acting chops, the Hollywood star can also claim royal ancestry through her relative, King Edward I of England.
This makes her 21st cousin, once removed, of Queen Elizabeth II. Can you imagine Thurman playing a royal role in cinema? Although she has taken a break from Hollywood in recent years, we can definitely see her coming back to star in a drama sometime soon.
Michael Douglas
A star for the ages: Michael Douglas has been dazzling audiences for 30 years with iconic roles in Wall Street and Fatal Attraction. Recently, he has been wowing audiences in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Hank Pym. He might be Marvel royalty, but he is also British.
Like most people on the list, Michael Douglas is actually related to King Edward III, making him 19th cousins to the Queen. There’s something in the star’s demeanor that makes him the perfect royal. Would you like to see him acting in a royal role?
Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks is comfortably embracing the role of America’s grandpa. With every passing year, people of all generations are turning to him as the nice, caring, and respectable actor that liberal Hollywood can idolize. He should enjoy people bowing their heads to him – it’s in his blood!
It turns out that Hanks is a relative of King John of England, making him fully blown English royalty! There are rumors that Americans want Hanks to run for President in 2020. Because if you can’t be king, why not try to be President?
Sir Christopher Lee
Younger audiences will remember Sir Christopher as Saruman the White from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. For years, he was a stage and screen actor that carried a strong presence due to his ‘royal’ presence. Well, that’s no coincidence.
While it’s true that Lee was never an actual wizard (allegedly), he is, in fact, a descendant of Charles the Great – one of the most famous rulers of the Holy Roman Empire! Perhaps that’s where he gets his performance skills from.
Grace Kelly
While not technically a royal through her bloodline, the actress definitely knew how to marry up! The Hollywood actress rose to fame in films like High Noon and Dial M for Murder. At the age of 26, she met and fell in love with Prince Rainer III of Monaco.
She ultimately became the Princess of Monaco and dedicated the rest of her life to Royal Duties. Sound familiar? Younger audiences will see a similar story today with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Glenn Close
Similar to Tom Hanks, actress Glenn Close is a distant relative of King John. This means that technically she is a descendant of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Considering the relation goes back to 1137, many can doubt whether it is accurate or exaggerated.
Many people are unaware of Eleanor of Aquitaine, but she’s often considered one of the most interesting women in history. With marriages, affairs, and conspiracy, her life is perfect for film. Perhaps the actress will play her on screen?
Jessica Chastain
Like Grace Kelly, Jessica Chastain has had her royal happy ending in her personal life. The esteemed actress has starred in films like Zero Dark Thirty and The Martian, and might just follow in the footsteps of Kelly and Markle! But how?
Well, Jessica Chastain married Gian Luca Pasi De Preposulo – an Italian count! It turns out that he’s a member of one of Italy’s oldest aristocratic families. In fact, his lineage dates all the way back to 973. Wow!
Diane Von Furstenberg
This fashionista became a princess when she married Prince Egon of Furstenberg in 1969. After making a name for herself in the business and fashion world, she entered a Royal family and tried her duties as an aristocrat.
Sadly, the marriage didn’t last and she reverted back to a commoner. Still, she kept her last name and continued a successful career after her marriage ended. Today, her children are still considered Princes and Princesses.
Christopher Guest
The actor famed for his performance in the iconic This is Spinal Tap has quite a secret up is sleeve: he’s actually a Baron and a member of the British Nobility. While it doesn’t make him ‘royal’ per se, the US and UK citizen’s official title is 5th Baron Haden-Guest and his family once sat in the House of Lords.
This makes his wife, actress Jamie Lee Curtis, a Baroness. Her full name is Jamie Lee Haden-Guest, Baroness Haden-Guest, which we admit is quite the mouthful. Having trouble telling the difference between Royals and Peers? Just think of Downton Abbey vs. The Crown.
Hugh Grant
Hugh Grant is definitely considered British royalty. Well, at least in his reputation as 1990s romcom star. For 20 years, he’s been one of the most famous leading men and one of Britain’s biggest exports for charm. However, he not only acts royal, but he is royal.
Apparently, Hugh Grant can trace his heritage back to King Henry VII of England and King James IV of Scotland. Would you want to see him play a member of the royal family TV? We can definitely see him wearing a crown on a throne.
