Kate Winslet Says She Would Have Been ‘Disgusted’ If Her Ancestors Had Money — Though She Has $90 Million

Kate Winslet of Titanic fame recently went on the BBC ancestry show Who Do You Think You Are? to learn more about her family history. When the actress learned that she came from humble beginnings, she expressed relief, as she confessed she would have been “upset and disgusted” if her family history had been one of privilege, per The Telegraph.

In the episode, Winslet learned that her great-great-grandfather originally immigrated to the United Kingdom from Sweden to find work as a tailor. Winslet commented that the family history “basically means I’m an immigrant.”

Winslet also learned that her great-great-great-great-grandfather Anders Jonsson not only worked as a “slave” in Sweden, but was also imprisoned after he was found guilty of theft. The crime was stealing potatoes and honey to feed his starving family — one of his five children had just died of malnutrition. Jonsson eventually died from typhoid, still in prison.

Though Winslet was saddened by aspects of her family history, she nonetheless admitted that she “would have been upset and disgusted if I had come from wealth or royalty.”

“My roots are socialist, working class and, in a funny way, my parents frowned upon the wealthy.”

She even said that she and her sister have decided to celebrate “Anders Day” on the date of her Swedish ancestor’s death to commemorate him.

“I come from a long line of impoverished people on both sides of my family, which perhaps explains why I’ve tried to instill my parents’ values into my kids.”

However, it is less clear how Winslet settles her disdain for the wealthy with her own immense fortune — currently valued at $90 million, per The Richest. The Finding Neverland actress lives in a $4 million estate in West Wittering, which ironically was likely once the home of one of the privileged set she and her family “frown upon,” per Ideal Celebrity Homes.

Winslet has also been known to travel to exclusive locations, such as Richard Branson’s Necker Island in the Bahamas and St. Tropez in Southern France.

However, despite the mansions and vacations, Winslet has insisted that she and her family are not “over-privileged.”

“People never believe me, but my children aren’t over-privileged. We just don’t live like that. They are very balanced. Humble,” she said.

Winslet is currently married to Sir Richard Branson’s nephew Edward Abel Smith, who was previously known as Ned Rocknroll. She has three children: one with Smith, one with director and second husband, Sam Mendes, and one with her first husband, Jim Threapleton.

Winslet’s next movie, Ammonite, is set to hit theaters in 2020.