Modern Celebrities Who Secretly Have Royal Blood 》

Pop quiz: who do you think of when you think of celebrities and the Royal Family? Most people think of Meghan Markle, the American Suits actor who left Hollywood behind when she married Prince Harry. As it turns out, though, plenty of bigger names than Meghan have more intimate connections to the Royal Family than she could ever dream of.

That’s because these celebrities are related to the royals by blood rather than by marriage. Some of them are connected to modern monarchs like King Charles, while others go many centuries into the past. Did your fave celeb make the list? Keep reading to discover the modern celebrities who secretly have royal blood!

Madonna (related to Queen Camilla)

When she began singing in the 1980s, Madonna became the rebellious voice of a generation. The “Queen of Pop” was one of her many nicknames, and nobody could question that she was American royalty. However, what few of even the pop star’s biggest fans could ever guess is that she is related to British royalty by blood.

The royal she is related to is none other than Queen Camilla, the current Queen of England! But just how are they related? Apparently, they can both draw their bloodline back to Zacharie Cloutier, a French carpenter. In case you’re wondering, that makes these two 10th cousins.

Bob Odenkirk (related to King Charles)

If you’re a fan of great television drama, then you’re a fan of Bob Odenkirk. While he spent his earliest acting days in comedy series like Mr. Show with Bob and David, Odenkirk is best known for playing the memorable minor character Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad. His performance was so captivating that he reprised this character in the lead role on Better Call Saul. From comedy to drama, from minor roles to leading parts, Odenkirk is a modern king of showbiz.

And as it turns out, he’s also related to another modern king…the modern King of England! On the TV show Finding Your Roots (which reveals who celebrity guests are secretly related to), Odenkirk found out that he is actually an 11th cousin of King Charles, reigning monarch of the Royal Family. The actor admitted that their connection was “wild” but then added why he’s not all that impressed: “I’m an American, I’m not a monarchist. I don’t believe in that,” he said.

Sorry, Charlie: Saul Goodman himself isn’t big on the Royal Family!

Benedict Cumberbatch (related to Richard III)

Every now and then, these celebrity connections to the Royal Family are almost too crazy to believe. For example, most Benedict Cumberbatch fans think his involvement with the royals begins and ends with his playing Richard III in the BBC series Hollow Crown. But in a strange bit of serendipity that would puzzle even Sherlock Holmes, the actor is related by blood to the real Richard III!

Just how close are these two? Cumberbatch is actually Richard’s second cousin, 16 times removed. The primary way they are connected is that the Doctor Strange actor is related to Richard’s mother, Cecily Neville’s grandmother, Joan Beaufort. This is a closer claim than millions of others can make about being related to this famous monarch by blood. Cumberbatch also has another special connection: in 2015, when Richard III was reburied at Leicester Cathedral, the actor read a poem as a way of paying tribute to his distant ancestor!

Beyoncé (related to Queen Elizabeth II)

Even though England has had Charles in charge for a few years now, many are still mourning the death of Queen Elizabeth. She reigned for a jaw-dropping 70 years and arguably helped to define modern England as we know it. Despite being the face of British royalty, though, the Queen has connections to a surprising number of Americans, including one of our biggest celebrities.

It turns out that Beyoncé and Queen Elizabeth are actually 25th cousins once removed. How are these very different girlbosses connected by blood, though? As Geni puts it, “Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom, is Beyoncé’s stepfather’s wife’s first cousin’s mother’s ex-husband’s ex-wife’s first cousin’s wife’s aunt’s husband’s father’s wife’s nephew’s wife.”

That’s a mouthful right there. But it does puzzle out exactly how Queen B is related to Queen E!

Brad Pitt (related to Queen Elizabeth II)

Surprisingly, Beyoncé isn’t the only major American celebrity to be related to Queen Elizabeth. In a weird little twist, Brad Pitt is just as connected to the Queen as Beyoncé: specifically, they are both 25th cousins once removed. And in an even weirder twist, his ex-wife, Angelina Jolie, is also related to Elizabeth (they are 26th cousins), making their relationship retroactively a little weirder.

Incredibly, other huge American celebs are related to the Queen by blood. Hillary Duff, Richard Gere, and Hugh Grant are all distantly connected to Elizabeth! Deep down, these actors may be a bit like Bob Odenkirk and think that their royal connection is no big deal. As for us, we’re still a bit blown away by these connections. After all, they remind us of just how similar English and American culture really is.