From Madonna to Benedict Cumberbatch, These 10 Hollywood Celebrities Have Ties with the Monarchy

Celebrities that have been touched by royalty

The celebrities we will discuss today have ruled over Hollywood with their exceptional talents. Although their identities are not dependent on anything else, fans will be amazed to know these celebrities are modern-day monarchs. Actor Bob Odenkirk is among those actors who, when discovered their ancestry, found out they are connected to the royals. "That is wild," he said. Apparently, he's the 11th cousin of King Charles. Here's our list of artists with royal connections, in more than one way.                                                                                                                     

1. Brad Pitt

The 60-year-old American actor and producer is directly linked to the late Queen Elizabeth. The Ocean's Eleven actor who has given multiple hits in his entire Hollywood career is Queen Elizabeth's 25th cousin (twice removed), according to findmypast.com. His common ancestor Is the ruler of the 12th century Henry II. Meanwhile, his ex-wife and co-star in Mr. and Mrs. Smith Angelina Jolie too has a royal connection through King Philip II of France, making her 26th cousin of the Queen.

2. Benedict Cumberbatch

The Sherlock star not only played the character of Richard III in the BBC's Hollow Crown series, but he's also directly related to the ruler. Apparently, he is King Richard III's second cousin sixteen times removed. The modern royal was called to pay tribute to his ancestor back in 2015 when Richard III was reburied at Leicester Cathedral. His strongest connection is through King Richard's mother, Cecily Neville's grandmother Joan Beaufort, according to a genealogist at the University of Leicester.

3. Hilary Duff

A Cinderella Story actor is an 18th cousin of Queen Elizabeth, according to a genealogy study. According to CBS News, she is related to Alexander Spotswood, a British Army officer who lived from 1676 until 1740, the 10th great-grandson of Edward III. Spotswood is a long-proven royal, making Duff's direct link to the late Queen Elizabeth. However, this isn't the actor's only royal connection. The 36-year-old actress is also a descendant of Catharine Car, an illegitimate daughter of Henry VIII.

4. Madonna

The "queen of pop" and cultural sensation has made a name for herself. Her success in the music industry is enough to label her a royal. However, the singer and the current Queen Camilla are descendants of the same French carpenter. According to the archives published by the website ancestory.co.uk, her history dates back to a man named Zacharie Cloutier, directly linking her to Queen Camilla as 10th cousins. The website spokesperson said, "[It's an] entertaining nature of family history research."

5. Tilda Swinton

The British actress never looked more regal. (Un)surprisingly she has a royal connection and is a relative of the Scottish king Robert the Bruce, according to genealogists. Swinton is 19 generations removed from King Robert the Bruce, who lived from 1274 until 1329. The Oscar winner has appeared in many successful films like The Killer and Doctor Strange. Robert the Bruce freed Scotland from English rule. Apparently, Swinton is related to the royal from both her mother's and her father's sides.

6. Hugh Grant

The Notting Hill star has been a Hollywood royalty for years. He has won the hearts of his fans with his exceptional talent but his true royal identity was revealed later on with his connection to late Queen Elizabeth II. His lineage can also be traced back to King Henry VII of England and King James IV of Scotland, according to the Radio Times. He is also the ninth cousin once removed of Queen Elizabeth and also surprisingly related to George Washington. 

7. Beyonce

Everyone's beloved Queen Bey's lineage goes back to the actual queen. The "royalty" of the music industry is directly related to the late Queen Elizabeth II. Apparently, she and the queen were 25th cousins removed. According to the website findmypast.com, the singing sensation traces her royal roots to Louisiana, Acadia, and back to the French. The most common ancestor Queen Bey shares is King Henry II, who was Queen Elizabeth's 24th great-grandfather. The ancestry site Geni has detailed the relationship.

8. Richard Gere

The Pretty Woman actor began his Hollywood career in the 70's. He's not only a "royalty" in the entertainment industry but his lineage is equally royal. The 74-year-old is directly linked to the late Queen Elizabeth- a 22nd cousin twice removed, according to a genealogy site FamousKin.com. Although the Philadelphia-born actor belonged to a working-class family, he is also related to the Queen through the monarch, Edward I, who lived from 1239 to 1307, the son of King Henry III.

9. Johnny Depp

It is no wonder that beloved Jack Sparrow has a royal lineage. Dr. Nick Barratt, a genealogist with Who Do You Think You Are? revealed the actor's royal connection. He said, "When I examined Johnny's history I discovered a likely connection to the royal family. I've since established the family tree that demonstrates how.  You have to go back more than 500 years to reach the point where his ancestors become royal," making him a 20th cousin of the Queen. 

10. Ellen Degeneres

The remarkable talk show host of The Ellen Degeneres Show also has a royal connection. The 66-year-old is apparently the 19th cousin, twice removed, of the now-deceased Queen Elizabeth. According to the New England Genealogical Society, the comedian also has an unlikely family history with the current Princess of Wales Kate Middleton. She and Middleton are 15th cousins through Sir Thomas Fairfax and his wife, Agnes Gascoigne, who were both born in the 1400s. She received this information through a letter.