In a fascinating twist of genealogical fate, the Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate, have been found to share an unexpected family connection with Irish pop star Chris De Burgh. The research also confirms the royal couple are distant cousins to each other.
The Royal and Pop Star Family Tree
Detailed genealogical investigations have traced both William and Kate's lineages back to the 14th century, revealing a shared ancestor in King Edward III and his queen, Philippa of Hainault. This connection forms the basis of their own familial link, making them fourteenth cousins.
The path to the 'Lady in Red' singer, Chris De Burgh, runs through this same royal bloodline. A branch of Kate Middleton's family tree extends to Ireland, where it intersects with the de Burgh name. While it was previously known that Kate had connections to the de Burghs, the new research indicates that Prince William is also part of this extended family network.
A Historical Lineage from Edward III
The link originates with Edward III's son, Lionel of Antwerp, who married Irish heiress Elizabeth de Burgh, Countess of Ulster. Centuries later, a descendant named Agnes Gascoigne married Sir Thomas Fairfax, a landowner and ally of Henry VIII who lived at Gilling Castle in Yorkshire.
Sir Thomas and Agnes had twelve children. Prince William descends from their son Sir Nicholas Fairfax, whilst Kate Middleton stems from his younger brother, William Fairfax. This is the precise point that makes the modern-day Prince and Princess of Wales fourteenth cousins.
Patrick Cracroft-Brennan, editor of Cracroft's Peerage, elaborated on the connection, stating it makes William and Kate "fourteenth cousins once removed through his mother and fifteenth cousins through his father."
Chris De Burgh's Royal Encounter and Reaction
The pop star's connection to the royals isn't purely historical. Chris De Burgh once attended a public event with William's late mother, Princess Diana, where she christened a Virgin Airbus 'Lady In Red' alongside him.
When the genealogical link was first uncovered in 2013, De Burgh expressed surprise, remarking, "I was unaware that there is a distant connection between the de Burgh family and the Middletons." He added, "At least that will give us something to talk about should we ever have a cup of tea together."
It is noted that while De Burgh shares the surname through his ancestor, General Sir Eric de Burgh, his family is not directly descended from Edward III, but from the king's daughter-in-law's line.
In another distant royal relation, it was previously reported that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are also far-flung relatives, sharing a 15th-century ancestor named Ralph Bowes, born in 1480, making them fifteenth cousins.
