Families can be a bit confusing. And not just when it comes to behavior and relationships, but also when it comes to bloodlines. Today, many companies use genetics to trace your ancestors, all the way back to many generations. These very companies have researched famous celebrities and found out some surprising facts about their antecedents.
Bright Side delved into just a handful of these celebrities and found some relationships. Enough for us to exclaim that history truly repeats itself.
1. Beyoncé Knowles is the 25th cousin of Queen Elizabeth II.
Beyoncé Knowles, well known for being music royalty, has royal blood running in her veins too. She is the 25th cousin to Queen Elizabeth, once removed since they both share King Henry II as a common ancestor.
2. Angelina Jolie has lineage from King Phillip II of France.
King Phillip II of France ruled from 1180 to 1223 and is known to have brought financial stability to his country. He also increased the royal coffers. Actress Angelina Jolie carries French royal blood considering she is a direct descendant of Philip II. Strangely enough, she played Queen Olympias in the 2004 movie Alexander, opposite Val Kilmer’s Phillip II, only this was Phillip II of Macedonia.
3. Brad Pitt is a descendant of King Henry II of England.
Brad Pitt is no less royal either. He can trace his ancestry back to King Henry II of England, who ruled from 1154 until his death in 1189. Coincidentally, King Henry II’s wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, was first married to French royalty, making Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie somewhat predestined to a failed marriage. This also makes Pitt a 25th cousin, twice removed, to Queen Elizabeth.
4. Jane Austen is Anna Chancellor’s great-aunt.
In 1995, Anna Chancellor starred as Caroline Bingley in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice BBC Miniseries. But she has a deeper connection to Jane Austen as well. The highly venerated author is an 8-time great aunt to Chancellor.
5. H.H. Asquith is Helena Bonham Carter’s great-grandfather.
Helena Bonham Carter is best known for her off-the-beaten-path roles, like that of Mrs. Lovett in Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. But she comes from illustrious family background. Herbert Henry Asquith, the Prime Minister of the UK from 1908 to 1916, was her paternal great-grandfather. She is also related to Jane Austen, and subsequently to Anna Chancellor.
6. Harry Lloyd is a descendant of Charles Dickens.
Harry Lloyd, who plays Viserys Targaryen in Game of Thrones is the great-great-great-grandson of the famous Charles Dickens, the author. Lloyd’s mother, Marion is the descendant of the seventh child of Dickens, Henry Fielding Dickens, who in turn had 5 children.
7. Benedict Cumberbatch is the 16th cousin to King Richard III.
Benedict Cumberbatch is distantly related to King Richard III, who ruled England from 1452 to 1485. He was the last English king to have died during a battle, and later, there was a whole investigation into finding his remains, enough for a reburial. Cumberbatch, who plays Doctor Strange in the Marvel movies, is the 16th cousin to the king. He also read a poem at his royal ancestor’s reburial.
8. King Henry I is the ancestor of Sigourney Weaver.
There seem to be many celebrities who can trace their lineage right back to English kings. King Henry I, who ruled from 1100 to his death in 1135 may have died without a male heir, but his bloodlines spread far and wide. Actress Sigourney Weaver, known for her role in Alien, is a descendant of Henry I, and this also makes her the 24th cousin of the Queen, once removed.
9. Jake Gyllenhaal has antecedents back to King Edward III.
King Edward III ruled the English from 1312 to 1377 and is known as a rather conventional king, who pursued warfare but could also show great clemency. There are many celebrities who can claim blood relations with him, including Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal. Others include Michael Douglas, Hillary Duff, and more.
10. Meghan Markle is related to William Shakespeare.
We know Meghan Markle is related to the British Royal Family, by way of her marrying Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex. But she already has famous blood in her veins, considering she is cousins with the great playwright, William Shakespeare. Markle is a fifth cousin to the Bard, 12 times removed.
11. Ozzy Osbourne is related to Tsar Nicholas II, and more.
Then there is Ozzy Osbourne, and DNA might prove there is a method to his madness. Researchers say that the singer is not just a descendant of the Neanderthal man, but also a relative of outlaw Jesse James. But his claim to royal fame is with the last Russian Tsar, Nicholas II, whose entire family was wiped out in the revolution.
12. Cary Elwes is a descendant of infamous miser John Elwes.
Actor Cary Elwes is related to John Elwes. As a man, John Elwes may have been unremarkable except for the fact that he was an extreme miser. It is also alleged that he was Charles Dickens’s inspiration behind the miserly character, Ebenezer Scrooge, in the classic A Christmas Carol.
13. The Deschanel sisters are related to Louis IV of France.
Zooey and Emily Deschanel have both made their names in Hollywood. Zooey is the star of the series New Girl, while Emily Deschanel was the heroine of Bones. And both can lay claim to royal French blood, all the way back to King Louis IV of France, who ruled from 936 to 954.
14. Anderson Cooper is Cornelius Vanderbilt’s great-grandson.
Anchor and host Anderson Cooper is the great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt, the shipping and railroad magnate whose familial wealth was once more than the US treasury. His mother, Gloria Vanderbilt was the granddaughter of Cornelius, but Cooper remembers deciding to start work early, considering the family fortunes were much diminished by the time he was in his teens.
15. Robert Pattinson is a descendant of Vlad the Impaler.
Robert Pattinson may have played the love-sick vampire, Edward Cullen, in the Twilight series, but he has a real-life blood connection to “Dracula.” Bram Stoker’s famous character was allegedly inspired by the Transylvania despot, Vlad the Impaler, and Pattinson is related to him, via the British royal family.
So which of these celebrity connections really caught your interest? Do you know of your family’s famous genealogical connections too?
Angelina Jolie’s relationship with her father, Jon Voight, has been complex and fraught with tension. However, they have managed to reconcile their differences, with Voight becoming a supportive figure in Jolie’s life, particularly during her divorce from Brad Pitt.
My MIL Came to My Work Demanding I Pay for Expensive Caviar, the Lesson I Taught Her Had Everyone Applauding
The faint store music couldn’t drown out the sound of her heels clicking on the polished floor as she made her grand entrance. Denise had that air of superiority, as if everyone should pause and admire her presence. And to be honest, she expected just that.
Dressed in a tailored designer coat, oversized sunglasses (despite being indoors), and a diamond necklace that probably cost more than my annual salary, she exuded the “look-at-me” vibe she always carried.
When she headed straight for my register, I felt my stomach flip. What on earth was she doing here? Denise had never come to my job before, and I sincerely wished it could have stayed that way forever. Her disapproving looks and passive-aggressive comments had always made me feel two inches tall, constantly reminding me I wasn’t “good enough” for her beloved son, Jack.
We’ve been married for five years, but my MIL never stopped finding ways to remind me of my supposed shortcomings. Jack, trying to avoid conflict, always took the easy way out, saying, “That’s just how Mom is.” His unwillingness to stand up for me drove me crazy, but I loved him and hoped Denise would eventually get tired of her antics. For years, I bit my tongue and let her behavior slide. But not anymore. Yesterday was the last straw.
Denise stopped in front of my register, her fake smile sending chills down my spine. In her arms were two cans of caviar—the finest, most expensive variety, each costing more than a month’s rent.
“Sweetheart,” she cooed in her signature tone that masked her condescension, placing the tins on the counter with a soft thud. She glanced around, probably ensuring she had an audience before continuing. “I need you to take care of this.”
I blinked, confused. “Sure,” I said, reaching to scan the cans.
But she stopped me with an exaggerated sigh. “No, dear. I need you to take care of it,” she clarified, her voice laced with irritation, as if explaining something obvious to a child.
“Take care of it?” I repeated, unsure if I had misunderstood.
Denise tilted her head, giving me a pitying look. “Yes, darling, pay for it. You’ve always been a bit slow, haven’t you?” she sneered. “I’m hosting a dinner party tonight, and my guests expect nothing but the best. I’m sure Jack won’t mind if you help out. After all, it’s what family does.”
I stared at her, stunned. Did she really just ask me to pay hundreds of dollars for caviar on the spot?
“Denise, that’s a lot of money,” I began, trying to stay calm.
But she waved me off. “Oh, don’t be dramatic. Jack will cover it. You’re his wife, and it’s your job to help out with things like this.” She leaned in, lowering her voice. “If you don’t, I’ll make sure Jack knows how uncooperative you’re being.”
That was the final straw.
I had tolerated a lot from Denise over the years, but this? This was different. She expected me to foot the bill for her extravagant party and had the nerve to try and manipulate me into it.
I could feel my coworkers and customers watching, sensing the tension. My heart pounded, but I knew exactly what I had to do. I forced a smile and leaned in, pretending to play along.
“You know what, Denise?” I said, my voice just loud enough for everyone nearby to hear. “You’re absolutely right. I will take care of it.”
Her eyes gleamed with satisfaction. She thought she had won. “I knew you’d see reason,” she purred.
I scanned the caviar, watching the price rise on the register. Then, without hesitation, I pressed the microphone button connected to the store’s PA system.
“Attention, shoppers,” my voice echoed through the store. “I’d like to introduce you to a very special guest—my mother-in-law, Denise! She’s here to buy two cans of our finest caviar and has graciously asked me, her daughter-in-law, to pay for them. Let’s give her a round of applause for being such a generous family member!”
For a split second, there was silence. Then, someone in the back began clapping, followed by a few others. Within moments, the whole store erupted in applause! My coworkers were grinning, and even the customers were chuckling and clapping along.
Denise’s face flushed a deep shade of red. She glared at me, her voice low and furious. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she hissed.
I smiled sweetly. “Oh, I just thought everyone should know how generous you are. Isn’t that what you wanted?”
Without another word, she grabbed the bagged caviar, lips pressed into a thin line, and stormed out of the store. The applause and laughter continued as she clicked her way across the floor and out the door.
After she left, my coworker Rachel sidled up to me, barely containing her laughter. “That,” she whispered, “was the most legendary thing I’ve ever seen.”
Even the store manager, who had been watching from the back, gave me a wink. “Remind me never to get on your bad side,” he said with a grin.
I finished my shift on a high note. It wasn’t just the applause or the fact that I had finally stood up to Denise in a public way—it was knowing that, for once, I had outplayed her.
Later that night, when I got home, I braced myself for the fallout. Jack was sitting on the couch, scrolling through his phone. He looked up, both confused and amused.
“So… what exactly happened with my mom today?” he asked, fighting back a laugh.
I sat down and told him everything. I expected him to be angry, but instead, he shook his head, barely holding in his laughter.
“You know,” he said, “I think she might leave us alone for a while.”
And you know what? He was right. Since then, my MIL hasn’t called, texted, or shown up.
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