
On this day in history, September 10, 1984, Alex Trebek debuted as host of 'Jeopardy!'
Over the years, 'Jeopardy!' has won numerous Daytime Emmy Awards and continues to remain a cultural phenomenon
2023-09-10 18:58

'Beyond thankful for my family': Jana Kramer celebrates first Thanksgiving with her newborn baby boy
Kramer shared a series of posts on her Instagram Story on Thursday, November 23
2023-11-25 03:20

BruceDropEmOff takes responsibility for offending Kai Cenat but refuses to apologize: 'I don't take back anything'
BruceDropEmOff acknowledged that he was hurt at the moment but insisted that he wanted to handle the problem maturely
2023-10-17 19:24

Court documents suggest reason for police raid of Kansas newspaper
The police chief who led the raid of a Kansas newspaper has alleged in previously unreleased court documents that a reporter either impersonated someone else or lied about her intentions when she obtained the driving records of a local business owner
2023-08-21 08:57

18 celebrities who you may not know are descendants of royalty
Some Hollywood stars have had such illustrious and iconic careers that they are considered royalty in their own right. Even though they may appear to us common folk as kings and queens, a surprising number of celebrities have distinct hereditary connections to monarchies. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The team at Indy100 compiled a list of 18 celebrities who can claim aristocratic ancestry while also being phenomenally iconic (some people really do have the world at the tips of their fingers, huh). 1) Hilary Duff Due to her status as the Queen's closest American celebrity relative, FindMyPast.com named Duff "America's most royal celebrity." Duff is Queen Elizabeth's 18th cousin through Alexander Spotswood, a British Army commander and the 10th great-grandson of Edward III. 2) Uma Thurman Oscar nominee and Kill Bill’s finest Uma Thurman is the 21st cousin, once removed, to the queen through her ancestor, King Edward I of England. 3) Akosua Busia Akosua Busia is a Ghanaian actress who is the daughter of Kofi Abrefa Busia, the former prime minister of the Republic of Ghana (1969-1972) and prince of the royal family of Wenchi, an Ashanti subgroup. As a result, Busia is a princess too. She is known for her portrayal of Nettie Harris, the sister to Celie Harris (played by Whoopi Goldberg) in the 1985 film, The Color Purple. 4) Bill Hader Writer, occasional director and star of the HBO dark comedy Barry, Bill Hader is related to King Edward I of England and the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne is his 40th great-great-grandfather. Once Hader discovered this on an episode of PBS’ Finding Your Roots, he said, "I mean, the conqueror of Europe? I couldn’t even get the coffeemaker to work this morning." 5) Meghan Markle When Meghan Markle became the Duchess of Sussex after her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018, she deepened the pot on her existing royal heritage. Markle is a direct descendent of England’s King Edward III, which means that she and Prince Harry are 17th cousins. In a report from the Sun, she is also related to Jane Seymour, King Henry VIII’s third wife (the one who died after birth, not the one who was beheaded). Isabel Hildyard, her 12th great-grandmother, was also Seymour’s second cousin. 6) Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal Hollywood siblings Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal’s family tree extends back to Edward III, the King of England from 1327 through 1377, which makes them 19th cousins to the Queen. The Gyllenhaals behind Hilary Duff and Brooke Shields have the most royal blood out of any American celebrity. 7) Céline Dion Just like Madonna, French-Canadian singer Céline Dion is a ninth cousin once removed of Camilla Parker Bowles. This also makes Dion and Madonna 10th cousins twice removed through Jean Guyon, one of the earliest settlers of Quebec, as well as 10th cousins, once removed through Zacharie Cloutier, a carpenter and another early settler of Quebec. 8) Guy Ritchie Film director, producer, and screenwriter, Guy Ritchie, who also happens to be the ex-husband of Madonna, has royal connections! He’s related to the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton as the two are sixth cousins. He was also invited to her 2011 wedding to Prince William. 9) Kit Harington Kit Harington and his Game of Thrones character Jon Snow have something in common: they’re both descendants of royalty, albeit Harington’s ancestry doesn’t qualify him as a secret king. His grandmother, Lavender Cecilia Denny, is a descendant of King Charles II of England. Denny married Richard Harington, the 12th Baronet Harington, a title that has been passed down through the generations since the 1400s. “We were comfortable [Harington and family], but I didn’t go to Oxbridge, and yet every American interviewer I get says to me, ‘You’re related to Charles II! Your grandfather was a baronet!’” Harrington told the London Evening Standard. 10) Angelina Jolie Angelina Jolie's mother, Marie Bertrand, is a descendant of French royalty. Her ancestors may be traced all the way back to Phillip II, the son of Louis VII, a 12th-century French king. This links Jolie to Marie of France, a powerful French princess at the time and Phillip's half-sister. Jolie is also the 26th cousin of Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II. 11) Political royalty—The Bush family Who would've thought that dynasties could exist on both sides of the Atlantic? George and Jeb Bush are 11th cousins, twice removed, of the late Princess Diana, and thus have a tie to a very British lineage. 12) Paris Hilton Paris Hilton may act like a princess, and it's plausible that's because she's related to royalty herself! On her father Richard Hilton's side of the family, she is the Queen's 20th cousin through Henry II. Well, that's hot. 13) Ellen DeGeneres Ellen DeGeneres and Kate Middleton, the future Queen of England, are distant cousins thanks to a familial link through Sir Thomas Fairfax. DeGeneres attempted to utilize a family connection to gain access to Prince George, one of the most adorable royals. “I have a clothing line [ED by Ellen]; I can give him clothes; I can make a special robe for him,’” she told the British tabloid Hello!” she told British tabloid Hello! 14) Tilda Swinton Tilda Swinton's background is well-known to everyone who has seen the film Braveheart. Robert the Bruce, the Scottish king who fought Edward I (Longshanks) for control of Scotland in the 14th century, is a direct descendant of the legendary actress. While we're on the subject of reboots, how about Swinton taking on the role of her ancestor? 15) Johnny Depp Most famous for his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean, Johnny Depp happens to be another cousin of the Queen. He is a 20th cousin. 16) Madonna The pop artist is derived from French-Canadian Madeleine Ernard and her carpenter spouse Zacharie Cloutier (1617-1708), making her a ninth cousin (once removed) of the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla Parker Bowles, according to the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston. They also have another renowned relative on the list. 17) Brooke Shields American actress and model Brooke Shields' royal blood goes without saying, as she has always exhibited queenly confidence. She's the second-most royal celebrity in America, trailing only Hilary Duff. Through Henry II of France, Shields is Queen Elizabeth's 18th cousin once removed. Catherine de Medici and Lucrezia Borgia, Charlemagne and El Cid, William the Conqueror, and King Harold are among the names on her family tree. 18) Beyoncé Not only is Beyoncé known as Queen B, she is also Queen Elizabeth II's 25th cousin once removed. Imagine Beyoncé rubbing shoulders with the royals while wearing the Crown Jewels. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-06-17 22:58

Why Is A Police Officer’s Baton Called a Billy Club?
The baton has been a law enforcement tool for close to two centuries. But did anyone named Billy actually have anything to do with it?
2023-05-26 00:50

Jennifer Lawrence shares horrific aftermath of viral Hot Ones interview
Jennifer Lawrence has shared the rather grim aftermath of her Hot Ones interview that went viral for all the wrong reasons. The actor was almost reduced to tears as she fought her way through the rounds of spicy chicken wings - but even when the cameras stopped rolling, the effects didn't. “I passionately threw up after. Violently,” Lawrence told Andy Cohen. “I made it upstairs to my suite. My holding suite. We shot at the Four Seasons downstairs." She added: “My stomach gave me, like, eight minutes to get upstairs and then she… She… [vomited].” Click here to sign up for our newsletters.
2023-10-26 18:27

You Bull’s Pizzle! Breaking Down 10 Iconic Shakespeare Insults
Here’s how to pepper your next argument with Shakespearean insults.
2023-11-13 21:48

Golfer Hailey Ostrom slams Olivia Dunne and other influencers for 'excessive' photoshopping: 'It looks dumb'
'I’m going to calm down, but seriously someone needs to stand up to this and I will,' said Hailey Ostrom
2023-09-24 20:55

Philadelphia Orchestra and musicians agree to 3-year labor deal with 15.8% salary increase
Musicians of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra Association have ratified a collective bargaining agreement calling for minimum salaries to increase by 15.8% over three years
2023-10-22 13:16

Chorus of disapproval: National anthems sung by schoolkids at Rugby World Cup out of tune with teams
A project using choirs containing French schoolkids from diverse backgrounds to sign each country’s national anthem before games at the Rugby World Cup is being revised
2023-09-14 21:50

Michael Strahan's return to 'GMA' uncertain as ABC reveals reason for prolonged absence from show
ABC has finally revealed the reason for Michael Strahan's lengthy absence from 'GMA'
2023-11-08 11:25
You Might Like...

Why was Danny Masterson's rape retrial ordered after initial mistrial? Here's what happens next

‘AGT’ fans slam judges for approving Ryland The Kid Magician’s simple tricks: ‘What a scam'

The Indian cheesecake secrets found in a 1904 book

Grayson Chrisley says having his parents Todd and Julie in prison made him 'bitter': ‘Worse than them dying’

How did Quinton Aaron react to Michael Oher's lawsuit? 'The Blind Side' actor says rift between ex-NFL player and Tuohy family is 'sad'

Jimmy Fallon's 'a show of hands' segment hilariously spoofs politicians' gestures during speeches

20 Practical Housewarming Gifts New Homeowners Could Actually Use

Amy Robach's daughter shares photo of former 'GMA' host's first marriage, calls them a 'John Hughes movie'