It is easy to see actors and musicians as modern-day royalty, but for some celebrities, the connection is more than just fame. A surprising number of Hollywood and Bollywood stars have genuine royal bloodlines, with genealogical ties to kings, queens, and nawabs that span centuries and continents. From pop icons to beloved actors, here are the stars with regal ancestry.
The Royal Blood of Hollywood
Many familiar faces in Western cinema and music have distant but direct connections to European monarchies.
Hilary Duff was identified as America’s most royal celebrity, being the 18th cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II through a shared ancestor, King Edward III of England.
Beyoncé, often called Queen B by fans, is a 25th cousin, once removed, of Queen Elizabeth II through her Louisiana Creole heritage, which links her to the French royal family.
Angelina Jolie is of royal descent through her mother, Marcheline Bertrand. Her lineage can be traced back to the 12th century French king, Phillip II, making her the 26th cousin of the late Queen.
Brad Pitt, Jolie’s ex-husband, also has royal roots. He is a descendant of King Henry II of England, which makes him the Queen’s 25th cousin, twice removed.
Madonna and the UK’s Queen Camilla are related. The pop star and the Queen Consort are 10th cousins, both descending from the same French carpenter, Zacharie Cloutier.
Tom Hanks, considered American movie royalty, can trace his family tree back to become the 24th cousin of Queen Elizabeth through King John of England.
Kit Harington, who played the secret king Jon Snow in Game of Thrones, is a real-life descendant of King Charles II of England through his grandmother.
Tilda Swinton is a direct descendant of the Scottish king Robert the Bruce, who freed Scotland from English rule in the 14th century. She is 19 generations removed from the monarch.
Benedict Cumberbatch is a direct descendant of King Richard III of England. The actor portrayed his own ancestor in a BBC series and read a poem at the king’s reburial ceremony in 2015.
Bob Odenkirk discovered on the show Finding Your Roots that he is the 11th cousin of King Charles III. His lineage was traced back to Charlemagne, the 8th-century ruler.
Upon learning he was related to King Charles, Bob Odenkirk said, “That is wild. But I’m an American, I’m not a monarchist. I don’t believe in that.”
Bollywood’s Real-Life Royals
The Indian film industry is also home to several actors who are genuine members of former royal families.
Saif Ali Khan is perhaps the most well-known Bollywood royal. He is the 10th Nawab of the Pataudi lineage, inheriting the title after his father, Nawab Mohammad Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi. His paternal grandmother, Sajida Sultan, was the Begum of Bhopal.
Soha Ali Khan, Saif’s sister, is also a member of the Pataudi family. While she does not hold the title of Nawab, her grandmother was the Begum of Bhopal.
Aditi Rao Hydari has royalty on both sides of her family. Her great-grandfather, Sir Akbar Hydari, was the Prime Minister of Hyderabad State. On her mother’s side, she is the grand-niece of Raja J. Rameshwar Rao, the last ruling Raja of Wanaparthy.
Bhagyashree, famous for her debut in Maine Pyaar Kiya, belongs to the royal Patwardhan family of Sangli in Maharashtra. Her father, Vijay Singhrao Patwardhan, is the current titular Raja of Sangli.
Irrfan Khan was born Sahabzaade Irrfan Ali Khan, a title indicating royalty. His mother, Saeeda Begum Khan, was from the royal Tonk Hakim family in Rajasthan, and his father was a well-reputed zamindar.
Riya Sen and Raima Sen have a prestigious royal heritage. Their paternal grandmother, Ila Devi, was the daughter of King Sayajirao Gaekwad III of Baroda.
Manisha Koirala was born into the royal family of Nepal. Her grandfather, Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala, was a former Prime Minister of Nepal, and several other family members have held the position, giving her a politically distinguished lineage.
Naseeruddin Shah comes from a royal family in Sardhana, Uttar Pradesh. He is a fifth-generation descendant of an Afghan warlord who became the Nawab of Sardhana.
Sagarika Ghatge, known for her role in Chak De! India, is connected to the royal house of Kolhapur. Her father, Vijaysinh Ghatge, is a descendant of Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur.
Kiran Rao, filmmaker and ex-wife of Aamir Khan, is part of the Wanaparthy royal family in Telangana. Her grandfather was the Raja of Wanaparthy, and she is the first cousin of Aditi Rao Hydari.
Royal Connections Through Marriage
Some celebrities have strengthened their royal ties through marriage. Meghan Markle, before marrying Prince Harry, was already a direct descendant of England’s King Edward III, making her and Harry 17th cousins.
The English filmmaker Guy Ritchie is a sixth cousin of Kate Middleton. Their relation was close enough that Ritchie was invited to her 2011 wedding to Prince William.
Rose Leslie, who played Ygritte in Game of Thrones and is married to Kit Harington, also has royal lineage. She is a descendant of King Charles II, just like her husband, making the couple very distant cousins.
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