How does taking afternoon tea with the Queen sound? Or even playing a spot of polo with Prince Charles?
What about Wimbledon with the Duchess of Cambridge or the Duchess of Sussex? Well, for most of us mere mortals that’s never going to happen.
But there are some well-known faces who do have royal heritage in their blood – and some are more surprising than others.
You can count Beyonce, Brad Pitt, Ellen DeGeneres, Johnny Depp, Tom Hanks and Celine Dion as just a few of those Hollywood A-listers with tenuous links to the British throne.
The royal links we’ve unearthed should certainly raise a few eyebrows.
Claudia Winkleman
Claudia Winkleman’s sister Sophie married into the Royal Family (Image: PA)
The instantly recognisable Strictly Come Dancing TV presenter has a royal half-sister, Sophie Winkleman.
Actress Sophie (best known for her role as Big Suze in Peep Show) married into royalty and is now known as Lady Frederick Windsor.
The House of Windsor, of course, is run by Queen Elizabeth II, one of the longest-ruling monarchs.
Sophie’s husband Lord Frederick Windsor is 47th in line for the throne, due to his father – Prince Michael of Kent – being the Queen’s cousin.
Got all that?!
Well, to make the link even more interesting, Lady Windsor’s daughter (and Claudia Winkelman’s niece) Maud Windsor was bridesmaid at Princess Eugenie’s wedding in 2018.
Spencer Matthews
Spencer Matthews’ sister-in-law is none other than Pippa Middleton (Image: ITV)
The former Made in Chelsea womaniser has come a long way from his notorious bed-post count days.
An Eton College alumni, Matthews’ older brother James is married to the Duchess of Cambridge’s sister Pippa Middleton.
Matthews, now settled with model Vogue Williams, is good friends with his sister-in-law Pippa.
Pippa’s husband is a successful hedge fund manager and chief executive of Eden Rock Capital Management Group, the Matthews’ family business. The lavish Caribbean resort attracts royalty and plenty of celebrities.
Ralph and Joseph Fiennes
Ralph Fiennes in James Bond with Naomie Harris who plays Moneypenny (Image: © 2019 DANJAQ, LLC AND MGM. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)
The British acting brothers Ralph and Joseph Fiennes have links to nobility.
Lord Voldermort Ralph and his Emmy-nominated brother Joseph are both related to the heir apparent to the British throne. They are, amazingly, eighth cousins of Charles, Prince of Wales.
Ralph might be more accustomed to playing a duke or a lord in some of his films, or the revered Voldermort in the blockbusting Harry Potter franchise, but he and his brother do have real links to the British throne. They are both descendants of King James of Scotland. Who’d have thought it?
Guy Ritchie
(Image: Getty Images)
British film director Guy Ritchie has a very close relation to an heir to the British throne – Kate Middleton.
The ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’ maker, is sixth cousin to the Duchess of Cambridge and was famously on the guest list for her wedding to Prince William in 2011.
Meghan Markle
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry agreed to do a 90-minute tell-all interview with Oprah next month (Image: Getty Images)
When the Duchess of Sussex was merely Meghan Markle, the former actress still had royal lineage through Edward II, who was king of England in 1327.
So weirdly that makes her Harry’s 17th cousin.
Meghan’s husband Prince Harry is sixth in line to the throne, after Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Her son, Archie, is seventh in line to the throne, and her unborn baby will be eighth.
Hugh Grant
Hugh Grant is a direct descendant of Henry VII – the first Tudor king (Image: Getty Images)
Hugh Grant is a distant descendant of the Tudor family, dating back to Henry VII, the first Tudor king.
His 13th great-grandmother was Mary Tudor, the younger sister of King Henry VIII.
James IV, King of Scotland, is also part of his family tree.
Johnny Depp
Captain Jack Sparrow (Image: Disney Enterprises)
Hollywood A-lister Johnny Depp’s lineage dates back to King Edward III.
Best-known for his swashbuckling character Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise
Madonna
(Image: Getty Images)
Queen of Pop Madonna is a distant relative of Camilla Parker-Bowles, the Duchess of Cornwall.
A ninth cousin once removed from the wide of Prince Charles through French-Canadian Madeline Ernard, from the 17th century
And strangely singer Celine Dion is also a ninth cousin once removed from Parker-Bowles, making her related to Madonna.
Hilary Duff
(Image: Getty Images)
Hilary Duff is regarded as the American celebrity most closely related to the British monarch.
The actress-singer, best known for her role as Lizzie McGuire on the Disney Channel, is 18th cousin through descendant Alexander Spotswood.
Spotswood was an army officer who was the 10th great-grandson of Edward III.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
