Here’s How King Charles III Is Related to Dracula, and How He Owns Properties in Transylvania

The British royal family may evoke associations with historical personalities such as Queen Victoria or William the Conqueror. However, King Charles III has an unexpected genealogical relationship with a more infamous historical figure: Dracula. Not the myth of the bloodsucking vampire, but Vlad the Impaler, the Romanian ruler of the fifteenth century who served as the model for the Dracula tale.

Vlad III, sometimes referred to as Vlad the Impaler or Vlad Dracula gained notoriety across Europe by cruelly impaling his adversaries, a technique that gave him a terrifying reputation. After a bloody battle in 1462, he left a field full of thousands of impaled dead as a somber message to his enemies. In 1998, more than 530 years later, King Charles III learned of his relationship with this prince, according to Cornwall Live.

Based on genealogical research, King Charles, via Queen Mary, George V's spouse, is Vlad the Impaler's great-grandson 16 times removed. David Hughes' genealogy book The British Chronicles corroborates this relationship. "It was after his first visit to Transylvania in 1998 that he found out about his connection to Vlad the Impaler, a connection that he is very proud of," Romania Tour Store writes.

It is no secret that he has a deep affection for Romania, especially Transylvania. The Prince of Wales Foundation has been heavily involved in the area, emphasizing farming practices, conservation, and sustainable development. Because of how successful King Charles's efforts have been in Transylvania, the mayor of Alba Iulia once suggested naming him Prince of Transylvania.

The King, for his first foreign trip after his coronation, chose Transylvania, saying at the time that he's always felt a "deep connection" to the region, per The Times. Transylvania was the birthplace and upbringing of his great-great-grandmother, the Hungarian Countess Klaudia Rhedey, during the 1800s. “I have come to love Romania — your culture and art, your heritage and history, your sweeping landscapes and priceless biodiversity . . . Romania has retained, in its ancient forests, pristine countryside, and through some remarkable examples of sustainable farming, an incomparable richness of nature,” he spoke at the time.

Currently, King Charles has several estates in the charming villages of Viscri, the Zalanului Valley, Malancrav, and Breb in Transylvania. Viscri, known for its pastel-colored homes and its fortified church, is included as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In contrast, the Zalanului Valley has a distinct regal past of its own. "The tiny hamlet of Zalán Valley (Zalánpatak in Hungarian, Valea Zălanului in Romanian) was first documented in the 16th century as belonging to Bálint (Valentin) Kálnoky of Kőröspatak, one of the Transylvanian ancestors of H.R.H. The Prince of Wales."

These properties have been converted into vacation rentals, allowing guests to take in Transylvania's tranquil splendor and maybe even get a glimpse of its regal past. "Prince Charles owns the property that had been built for the former ‘judge’ who was overseeing the glassworks and the village. It is composed of several buildings and has a patch of forest and extensive flower meadows, with mineral springs and small brooks belonging to it," explains Romania Tour Store.