Genealogy tools and old family records keep turning up connections no one expects. Every so often, a new discovery shows that a familiar celebrity shares an ancestor with the British royal family. Some trace back to Queen Elizabeth II, others to King Charles III, and the links often stretch across hundreds of years.
What makes these stories fun is how they come to light. A few were uncovered by researchers digging through archives. Others surfaced through DNA kits or television programs that follow family histories. Each one adds a small surprise to the long, branching story of royal bloodlines.
Angelina Jolie
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Researchers connected Angelina Jolie’s link through her mother’s lineage. She is the late Queen’s 26th cousin through King Philip II of France. Though the tie is distant, it has been documented by genealogy sources. The actress, who’s been honored for her humanitarian work, even once received an honorary damehood from Queen Elizabeth in 2014.
Brad Pitt
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While his royal connection doesn’t make headlines often, Brad Pitt shares ancestry with Queen Elizabeth II through King Henry II. That makes them 25th cousins, twice removed. His royal descent places him in the same extended family as several other celebrities. Though it holds no title or responsibility, it’s a fascinating detail about one of Hollywood’s most recognizable figures.
Hilary Duff
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Among American celebrities, Hilary Duff has one of the closest royal connections to Queen Elizabeth II. Genealogists traced her lineage back to King Edward III, which made her the Queen’s 18th cousin. She also descends from Alexander Spotswood, a British Army officer with a well-documented noble background.
Johnny Depp
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The revelation of Johnny Depp’s royal ancestry came during an episode of Who Do You Think You Are?. It was uncovered that he shares a 14th-century ancestor with Queen Elizabeth II, King Edward III. The process required tracing back more than 500 years through birth, marriage, and death records.
Beyoncé
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Media outlets have widely covered Beyoncé’s royal link, largely because the documentation is unusually clear for a lineage that stretches back centuries. Experts traced her ancestry to King Henry II, which places her as the late Queen’s 25th cousin, once removed. CBS News highlighted the findings after genealogy sites mapped out the shared bloodline. She later met Meghan Markle at a film premiere, though neither referenced the historical bond.
Madonna
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Through Zacharie Cloutier, a 17th-century French-Canadian settler, Madonna and Queen Camilla are 10th cousins. Cloutier has thousands of descendants, but Madonna stands out as one of the most high-profile. The pop star previously expressed admiration for Princess Diana, unaware she had a family connection to the current Queen.
Jake And Maggie Gyllenhaal
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The Gyllenhaals descend from King Edward III, which means they are the 19th cousins of Queen Elizabeth II. Their noble heritage traces back to a Swedish family line that later intersected with English royalty. Jake and Maggie have never publicly discussed their ancestry, but the genealogy community has confirmed the details through records.
Richard Gere
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Building a decades-long career in Hollywood, Richard Gere became a familiar face in films like Pretty Woman and Chicago, while also gaining recognition for his humanitarian work. Behind the screen presence lies a lesser-known family tie: a verified connection to Queen Elizabeth II, as her 22nd cousin, once removed.
Brooke Shields
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Ancestry researchers linked Brooke Shields to Queen Elizabeth II through King Henry IV of France and John of Gaunt, a son of Edward III. This connection places Shields in the same royal bloodline as several English monarchs. The documents show both French and English noble ancestry converging in her family tree.
Paris Hilton
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A DNA test revealed that Paris Hilton is a direct descendant of King Henry II and is consequently a distant cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. The detail lands well because it mirrors the world she has spent years presenting, one defined by luxury, family legacy, and social prestige.
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