Hollywood's Hidden Crowns: 14 Celebrities With Royal Ancestry
Oct. 16 2024, Published 8:00 a.m. ET
George Bush - Princess Diana
The 41st U.S. president was the 11th cousin twice removed of the tragic Princess Diana — making him also related to Prince William as well. George H. W. Bush was also related to Abraham Lincoln… meaning Diana and her brood are as well. That's full circle!
Angelina Jolie - French King Philip II
Ooh la la! Angelina Jolie is a descendant of Philip II, who reigned from 1180 to 1223. She's also the 26th cousin of Queen Elizabeth II — with both French and English blood in her veins, she could have her own Hundred Years' War with herself!
Jamie Lee Curtis - Christopher Guest
Most celebs will never meet their royal relation, but Jamie Lee Curtis sleeps with hers: Spinal Tap hubby Christopher Guest is the 5th Baron Haden-Guest — so Curtis herself is actually a baroness and sees aristocracy just by looking in the mirror!
Brooke Shields – King Edward III
Pretty Baby star Brooke Shields is pretty established as a blue blood as she's a descendant of John of Gaunt, who was Duke of Lancaster and son of Edward III, who transformed England into a military power and was one of the country's longest-reigning rulers.
Brad Pitt - King Henry II
Fight Club star Brad Pitt is a descendant of England's Henry II — who ended up controlling most of France by marrying Eleanor of Aquitaine. Life certainly wasn't the pits for Henry… can Pitt say the same?
Richard Gere - King Edward I
Richard Gere shouldn't shrink away from his relation to King Edward I, but the 5-foot-10 actor doesn't measure up to the 6-foot-2 English king dubbed "Longshanks," for his height, and Hammer of the Scots for his ruthless treatment of his northern neighbor.
Ozzy Osbourne - Russian Tsar Nicholas II
What a contrast! Ozzy Osbourne is infamous for biting the head off a bat, while ancestor Nicholas II was the head of Russia when the revolution overthrew him and abolished the monarchy. Bad blood for each.
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Tom Hanks – King John of England
Tom Hanks is a descendant of King John and is much better at his job — Hanks has won two Oscars while the king lost the Duchy of Normandy and went to war with his barons despite signing the Magna Carta. Too bad Forrest Gump wasn't there to guide John!
Johnny Depp - Queen Elizabeth II
The Pirates of the Caribbean star is Queen Elizabeth II's 25th cousin and a descendant of the 14th-century King Edward III. Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow would have fit right into those turbulent times.
Celine Dion - Kate Middleton
Titanic Canadian-born Las Vegas resident Celine Dion is a tenth cousin once removed of the Princess of Wales… why, that's close enough to break bread and commiserate over their respective recent health issues.
Michael Douglas - King Edward III
Michael Douglas starred in The War of the Roses, a fictional movie about a troubled marriage — his ancestor King Edward III started the Hundred Years War and was in charge when the Black Death ravaged England and Europe. Apples and oranges!
Madonna - Camilla Parker Bowles
Bill Hader - King Edward I and Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne
The former Saturday Night Live funnyman is swimming is blue blood — he has connections to Edward and Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne, who united most of Europe.
"The conqueror of Europe?" Bill Hader quipped. "I couldn't even get the coffeemaker to work this morning."
Hilary Duff – King Henry VIII
Lizzie McGuire star Hilary Duff is not only the 18th cousin of Elizabeth II, she also traces her lineage to Catherine Carey — rumored to be the unclaimed born-out-of-wedlock daughter of Henry VIII.