Royal connections aren’t always about palace invitations or red-carpet meetings. For some stars, the link is buried deep in the family tree. From Catherine Oxenberg, who was born into Yugoslav royalty, to Bob Odenkirk, who discovered a duke among his ancestors on Finding Your Roots, these are 13 celebrities with documented or widely researched connections to royal families.
What Counts as a Royal Connection?
Genealogy can make the phrase “related to royalty” sound closer than it actually is.
In this list, the connections include:
- Direct descent from a royal or noble family
- Distant cousin relationships with monarchs or royals
- Ancestry traced to historical kings and queens
- Celebrities born into former royal families
With that in mind, here are the stars whose family trees have some seriously regal branches.
1. Catherine Oxenberg Was Born Into a Royal Family
Catherine Oxenberg’s connection to royalty isn’t some distant family-tree footnote. The Dynasty actress was born to Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia, making her a member of the former Yugoslav royal family.
Her mother belonged to one of Europe’s historic royal houses, so Oxenberg grew up with a family history that sounds more like a period drama than a Hollywood biography.
2. Akosua Busia Is a Real-Life Princess
Akosua Busia has played memorable characters on screen, but she doesn’t need a costume department to claim royal status.
The Ghanaian actress is the daughter of former Ghanaian Prime Minister Kofi Abrefa Busia, who also came from the royal family of Wenchi. That makes Busia a princess by lineage.
You might know her as Nettie from The Color Purple. Her family history, however, has an entirely different kind of star power.
3. Bob Odenkirk Has a Duke in His Family Tree
Bob Odenkirk got a family-history plot twist that even Saul Goodman might appreciate.
During Finding Your Roots, the Better Call Saul star discovered that the Duke of Plön was his sixth great-grandfather.
So while Odenkirk spent years playing a fast-talking lawyer, one of his real ancestors held a much fancier title.
4. Bill Hader Can Count Kings Among His Ancestors
The Barry star discovered connections to Edward I, King of England, and Charlemagne, the medieval emperor who ruled much of Western Europe.
His comedy career may have made him famous for impressions and awkward characters, but his ancestry comes with some seriously historic names.
5. Hilary Duff Has a King Among Her Ancestors
Hilary Duff’s Lizzie McGuire days probably didn’t prepare fans for this family-history detail.
Duff can count King Edward III of England among her distant ancestors. That also gives her a far-off connection to Britain’s modern royal family.
No palace privileges come with the connection, of course. But having a medieval king somewhere in your family tree is still a pretty good conversation starter.
6. Madonna and Queen Camilla Are Distant Cousins
Madonna and Queen Camilla don’t just share fame. Their family trees also meet several generations back.
The pop icon and Britain’s queen consort share French-Canadian ancestry, making them distant cousins. It’s an unusual connection for Madonna, whose own career has made her one of the most influential figures in pop music.
7. Céline Dion Shares a Royal Family Connection Too
Céline Dion joins Madonna on the list of celebrities with a family link to Queen Camilla.
Their shared French-Canadian ancestry connects Dion to the same extended family line, giving the singer a distant relationship to the British royal family. Considering Dion’s legendary status in music, she arguably has enough star power to fill a palace already.
8. Guy Ritchie Is Related to the Princess of Wales
Guy Ritchie has a connection to the British royal family that goes beyond attending royal events.
The filmmaker and Catherine, Princess of Wales, share distant ancestry. Ritchie also attended Catherine’s 2011 wedding to Prince William. So when he watched the couple exchange vows at Westminster Abbey, he wasn’t just another celebrity guest. He had a family connection to the bride.
9. Ralph Fiennes Shares a Family Link with King Charles III
Ralph Fiennes has spent plenty of time playing aristocrats and historical figures on screen. His own family tree has some aristocratic history too.
The Conclave star and King Charles III share distant ancestry through the Beaufort family line.
It’s hardly a close family relationship, but it certainly adds another interesting detail to the résumé of an actor who already looks perfectly at home in a period drama.
10. Kit Harington’s Real Family Has a Royal Connection
Kit Harington spent eight seasons playing Jon Snow, a character whose royal heritage became one of Game of Thrones’ biggest revelations.
His real family history has a royal twist too. Harington descends from King Charles II, giving the actor a genuine connection to British royalty. His aristocratic background has also been well documented over the years. Apparently, playing royalty wasn’t entirely out of character.
11. Angelina Jolie Has a Medieval King in Her Family Tree
Angelina Jolie’s family history stretches back to medieval France. Her maternal ancestry has been connected to Philip II, King of France, who ruled from 1180 to 1223. The connection sits many generations in the past, so Jolie isn’t exactly one royal family gathering away from the throne. Still, having a medieval French king among your ancestors is hardly ordinary.
12. Beyoncé’s “Queen Bey” Nickname Has an Interesting Twist
Beyoncé already has one of the most famous royal nicknames in pop culture: Queen Bey.
Her family history adds another layer to the title. Her ancestry has been linked to King Henry II of England, which creates a distant connection to Britain’s late Queen Elizabeth II. It’s an extremely remote relationship, but it makes the “Queen Bey” nickname feel even more fitting.
13. Glenn Close and Princess Diana Share an Ancestor
Glenn Close has a royal connection that sounds almost too unexpected to be true. The Fatal Attraction star and Princess Diana were identified as eighth cousins through their shared family history on Finding Your Roots.
The connection goes back generations, long before either woman became a household name. Still, it puts one of Hollywood’s most respected actresses on the same family tree as one of the world’s most famous princesses.
FAQ
Which celebrity has the most direct royal connection?
Catherine Oxenberg is among the clearest examples because she is the daughter of Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia and was born into a former royal family.
Is Hilary Duff related to King Charles III?
Yes, according to Findmypast’s genealogical research. The relationship is extremely distant and traces back to King Edward III.
Is Bob Odenkirk actually descended from royalty?
PBS’s Finding Your Roots traced Odenkirk’s ancestry to the Duke of Plön, identifying the duke as his sixth great-grandfather.
Are Madonna and Céline Dion related to Queen Camilla?
Genealogical research has linked both singers to Camilla through shared French-Canadian ancestry.
Are all these celebrities members of royal families?
No. Some were born into royal or former royal families, while others only have distant genealogical connections to historical monarchs.
Hollywood already has enough larger-than-life stories, but these family histories add another layer. Some stars grew up with royal titles, while others had to look centuries back to discover their connection.
Either way, these celebrities who are related to royals prove that sometimes the most unexpected celebrity connections aren’t found on a red carpet. They’re hiding in the family tree.
