9 Celebrities You Didn’t Know Were Related to British Royalty

Think you know your favorite stars? Think again. From Hollywood screens to the British Parliament, some of the world’s biggest names have ties to royal dynasties that are more than just the stuff of fairy tales. Let’s dive in and discover 9 celebrities whose surprising lineage links them to British and European royalty.

Danny Dyer

In 2016, British soap opera star Danny Dyer discovered he is a descendant of King Edward III of England after appearing on the family history series Who Do You Think You Are?, according to The Conversation.

Boris Johnson

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has ties to the royal family through his paternal grandmother, who was a descendant of Prince Paul of Württemberg, a direct descendant of King George II. The connection, revealed on Who Do You Think You Are?, makes Johnson a distant relative of the British royal family and several European royal houses, making him the late Queen Elizabeth II’s seventh cousin twice removed, per Reaction.

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie‘s family tree includes a surprising royal connection. According to The List, the Oscar-winning actress is a distant cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II through her mother’s side of the family, making the two 26th cousins. Jolie’s ancestry also traces back to French nobility, adding another royal link to her family history.

Tilda Swinton

Tilda Swinton has deep royal connections. Her father, Major-General Sir John Swinton, served as head of the Queen’s Household Division, according to The Southern Reporter. Swinton’s family also traces back 19 generations to Robert the Bruce, the Scottish king remembered for leading Scotland to victory at the Battle of Bannockburn and helping secure the country’s independence per Scottish GENES.

Hilary Duff

Hilary Duff might be an American pop culture icon, but her family tree is truly global, as she shares royal blood with Queen Elizabeth II as her 18th cousin, according to CBS News. Duff is even said to be a descendant of Catherine Car, who is believed by some to possibly be an illegitimate child of Henry VIII.

Courteney Cox

Courteney Cox discovered on an episode of Who Do You Think You Are? that her 18-times great-grandfather was Thomas de Berkeley, the nobleman who imprisoned King Edward II at Berkeley Castle after he was forced from the throne. The king later died at the castle, and members of the Berkeley family were suspected of being involved, according to Super Fan TV.

Hugh Grant

Hugh Grant has several surprising royal connections. According to Countryfile, the actor is related to King Henry VII and is also a distant cousin of members of the British royal family. His family tree also includes links to Scottish royalty and American Founding Fathers George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton.

Benedict Cumberbatch

The actor beloved for bringing aristocratic roles to life is, in reality, distantly related to King Richard III. Benedict Cumberbatch‘s ancestral links extend to Queen Elizabeth II and Lady Jane Grey, according to CNN.

Clare Balding

Broadcast journalist and author Clare Balding discovered she is descended from King Henry VII after appearing on Who Do You Think You Are?. According to Countryfile, the royal connection to the first Tudor king comes through her grandmother’s side of the family.