Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, was born to a ‘normal’ family in Berkshire, but research claims that she is related to an array of well-known people, including a former President of the United States.
Discover our latest podcast
Political royalty
According to CBS, research shows that Kate Middleton is related to the first President of the United States. The Boston-based New England Historic Genealogical Society found that the Princess of Wales isan eighth cousin eight times removed to George Washington.
Their common ancestor is Sir William Gascoigne. Known as William ‘the Younger’ Gascoigne, he was the son of Sir William Gascoigne and Jane Harington. He was a Justice of the Peace and a Knight of the Body for King Richard III. He died in 1487, although the exact dates are unknown.
Research also shows that Prince William's late mother, Princess Diana, and great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, were also George Washington's cousins. Therefore, it means that Prince William and Kate Middleton are very, very distant cousins.
The society's marketing director, Tom Champoux, said many of the Princess of Wales's ties to famous Americans can be linked to a few families that immigrated to America during the 17th century.
Other famous American relations
The research conducted by the Boston-based genealogical society also claims that the Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge is related to Meriwether Lewis, the explorer who teamed up with William Clark to undertake their 19th-century Western expedition.
She is also a cousin of Francis Scott Key, who wrote the American National Anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner.
Mr Champoux said:
That the future queen potentially has a similar family story to their own family story it's connecting in some way.
Sources used:
- CBS News: Kate Middleton Has Famous Family Ties in America
- Mail Online:What do Kate Middleton, George Washington and Ellen DeGeneres have in common? They're all cousins, new research claims
