15 Celebrities Who Can Trace Their Roots Back To Royalty
Ever wonder if your favorite movie star might have a crown tucked away in their family tree?
Turns out, Hollywood royalty sometimes overlaps with actual royalty!
Check out these famous faces that share bloodlines with kings, queens, and nobles from centuries past.
1. Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Fiennes, the British actor famous for playing Voldemort, carries royal blood from James II of Scotland in his veins.
His aristocratic bearing on screen might not be entirely acting after all!
James II ruled Scotland in the 1400s, making Fiennes part of a lineage stretching back over five centuries.
Pretty wild to think the guy who played one of cinema’s scariest villains descends from Scottish royalty.
2. Brooke Shields
Modeling and acting fame only tell part of the story when it comes to Brooke Shields.
Beyond magazine covers and movie screens, lineage traces back to European royalty, adding an unexpected historical twist to her biography.
Family records link her ancestry to Henry IV of France, with additional ties running through the influential line of John of Gaunt.
Since Henry IV ruled France during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, that connection places genuine French royal blood in her family tree.
3. Meghan Markle
Before Meghan Markle married Prince Harry, she already had royal blood as a direct descendant of Edward III of England!
That makes her the 17th cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Edward III reigned in the 1300s during medieval times.
So when she joined the royal family, it was kind of like a homecoming in the most epic way possible.
Destiny much?
4. Jake Gyllenhaal
This Hollywood heartthrob and seriously talented actor, traces his lineage back to Edward III of England.
The same medieval king pops up in many celebrity family trees!
Edward III’s extensive family spread across Europe over the centuries.
Jake might play everyday heroes on screen, but his ancestry includes actual historical royalty from the 14th century.
5. Maggie Gyllenhaal
Just like her brother Jake, Maggie Gyllenhaal also shares ancestry with Edward III of England.
The Gyllenhaal siblings are Hollywood royalty AND actual royalty!
Maggie has built an impressive career as both an actress and director.
Her medieval royal roots add another fascinating layer to her already interesting background.
Royal talent clearly runs in the family, spanning both centuries and continents.
6. Michael Douglas
Legendary actor and son of Hollywood icon Kirk Douglas, has common ancestry traced to Edward III of England.
His family tree branches back through centuries to medieval royalty.
Douglas has won Oscars and played powerful characters throughout his career.
Knowing he descends from kings makes his commanding screen presence make even more sense.
7. Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen DeGeneres, beloved comedian and former talk show host, has ancestry traced back to Edward III of England.
Her royal connections might surprise fans who know her for her down-to-earth humor!
Ellen’s ability to make millions laugh worldwide could be considered her own kind of reign.
8. Laura Dern
Laura Dern, Oscar-winning actress known for Jurassic Park and Marriage Story, traces her ancestry to Edward III of England.
Her royal lineage stretches back over six centuries!
Dern comes from Hollywood royalty too – both her parents were actors.
Combining actual royal blood with entertainment dynasty status makes her doubly regal.
9. Benedict Cumberbatch
Benedict Cumberbatch is related to Richard III through the Plantagenet line.
Ironically, he portrayed Richard III in the BBC series “The Hollow Crown”!
Playing your own distant ancestor on television has to be one of the coolest acting gigs ever.
Cumberbatch even attended the king’s reburial ceremony in 2015.
10. Hugh Grant
The charming British actor from romantic comedies has ancestry traced back to Henry VII of England and James IV of Scotland.
He’s the 9th cousin, once removed, of Queen Elizabeth II!
His connections to two different royal houses make his family tree especially interesting.
That famous Grant charm might just be centuries of royal refinement showing through.
11. Kyra Sedgwick
Kyra Sedgwick, Emmy-winning actress from The Closer, has ancestry reported through Henry III of England.
Henry III ruled during the 1200s, making her royal roots stretch back about 800 years!
Sedgwick has built a powerhouse career in television and film.
Her commanding performances might be channeling some of that ancient royal authority.
12. Uma Thurman
Uma Thurman, the Kill Bill star with iconic blonde locks, has ancestry reported through Edward I of England.
She’s the 21st cousin, once removed, of Queen Elizabeth II.
Edward I, known as “Longshanks,” ruled in the late 1200s and early 1300s.
Thurman’s striking presence on screen might come from centuries of royal DNA.
13. Allison Janney
The towering talent from The West Wing and Mom, has ancestry reported through Edward I of England.
At six feet tall, she already has a commanding, queenly presence!
Edward I was a powerful medieval king who left a lasting mark on English history.
Janney’s multiple Emmy and Oscar wins prove she’s entertainment royalty too.
14. Richard Gere
The Pretty Woman heartthrob and Buddhist activist has ancestry reported through Edward I of England.
His royal lineage dates back over 700 years to medieval times.
Gere has played everything from romantic leads to complex dramatic roles throughout his career.
That natural elegance and grace he brings to the screen might be inherited from royal ancestors.
15. Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks, America’s favorite everyman actor, has ancestry reported through King John of England.
Yes, the same King John from the Robin Hood legends!
King John ruled in the early 1200s and signed the Magna Carta.
Hanks has played heroes, astronauts, and regular guys, but he’s got royal blood hiding underneath that nice-guy persona.
Who knew, right?
