British Royal Family Genealogy

[Mermaid1962]

If you have any interest in finding living relatives, genforum.genealogy.com and ancestry.com have forums where you can ask for information or give information to other people. I've heard this way from distant relatives who have been able to "fill in the blanks" for me.

[Sangre_Real016]

Originally Posted by Kataryn

Three of the oldest Royal Houses of Europe are the Welfs (Guelphs), Wittelsbachs and Oldenburgs. They all were souverain reigning Houses before William the Conqueror came to Britain. George I. was the heir of the Guelfs and son of a Wittelsbach-princess of the Palatinate (the oldest electoral House in Germany). From him in direct Royal line is Elizabeth II. descended - her only non-Royal blood came from her mother's side who had the same rank as Lady Diana Spencer, so according to your theory the Queen Mother had a lot of Royal blood as well even though she was only a lady from the nobility.

Queen Elizabeth's husband and father of her children is a male-line prince from the House of Oldenburg (rulers of Denmark & Greece branch). His only slightly non-Royal blood (but princely) comes from his mother's side whose father had been a male-line prince from a princely side-branch of another ancient Souverain House of Germany (Granddukes of Hesse) while her mother was a direct descendant of the main and reigning branch, daughter of the reigning Grandduke and his wife, British princess Alice, a daughter of queen Victoria.

So when I count the Royals in Prince Charles' lineage, I find that only a grandmother and a great-great grandmother were not Royal, but both daughters of an Earl and Count respectively. And all Royals came from the right side of the blankett and of equal marriages.

Now please explain to me how Lady Diana Spencer could have had more Royal blood than her husband?

that is probably because Lady Diana is a direct descendant of most of the Sovereign Houses of Europe though most know that it is through a illegitimate line.. Lady is a direct descendant of the House of Normandy (from William the Conqueror), House of Plantagenet (from Mathilde, Holy Roman Empress), House of Tudor (from Mary Tudor), House of Stuart (from James IV and I of Scotland and England), House of House of Wittelsbach (from Frederick V, Elector Palatine and King of Bohemia), House of Oldenburg (from Christian III of Denmark), House of Bourbon (from Henrietta Maria of France), House of Hanover (from Ernest Augustus, Elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg), House of Hesse (from Elizabeth of Hesse), House of Nassau (from William I, Prince of Orange), House of Mecklenburg (from Anna of Mecklenburg-Schwerin), House of Wettin (from Christine of Saxony, Landgravine of Hesse), House of Valois (from Jeanne d'Angoulême, Countess of Bar-sur-Seine), House of Medici (from Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany), House of Sforza (from Francesco I Sforza, Duke of Milan) and a distant relative of the House of FitzJames (Dukes of Berwick) and House of Toledo (Dukes of Medina Sidonia and the original Dukes of Alba) and so one and so forth..

most people tend to connect Diana's royal bloodline through the illegitimate line which she descends, but people must also know that Diana descended through a legitimate yet morganatic line of Frederick V, Elector Palatine and King of Bohemia who was also apparently the father of Sophia of Hanover, the direct ancestor of the current British Royal Family..

here is the line..

Frederick V, Elector Palatine and King of Bohemia (married Princess Elizabeth of Scotland and England, daughter of King James IV and I of Scotland and England) >>> Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine >>> Karoline von der Pfalz, Duchess of Schomberg >>> Lady Federica Schomberg >>> Lady Caroline D'arcy >>> Lady Louisa Kerr >>> Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond >>> Charles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond >>> Lady Cecilia Catherine Gordon-Lennox, Countess of Lucan >>> Rosalind Bingham, Duchess of Abercorn >>> Cynthia Hamilton, Countess Spencer >>> John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer >>> Lady Diana, Princess of Wales

through this legitimate yet morganatic line, Lady Diana is a legitimate descendant of the all the Royal Houses that Charles can muster in his maternal line (from the line of King George VI) and far more aristocratic ones compared to that of Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyons.. and unlike Prince Charles, Lady Diana can boast ancestry to the Kings of France, Grand Dukes of Tuscany, Dukes of Milan and even to the most powerful aristocratic family of the Dukes of Alba, leading all the way to the House of Capet of the Capetian Dynasty..

Prince Charles may have more royal ancestors from the more recent history, but Lady Diana though only came from a much humbler aristocratic background, can boast ancestry from also every single Royal House in Europe since time immemorial.. and thanks to his mother, Prince William can lay claim relation to this ancestors.. and most interestingly, through his mother, Prince William of Wales descends from Arsakes Vologaeses V Dikaios Epiphanes Philhellen, Sacral King of Parthia, of the Parthian Royal House of Arsaces who ruled Persia (Iran), Mesopotamia and Babylon.. the Parthian kings in turn claimed descent from the earlier Achaemenid Dynasty.. if true, that relationship would make Prince William a descendant of Cyrus the Great and establish a blood link with classical Greece..

[Warren]

Personal genealogical enquiries have been moved to the Help With Family Histories thread in Members' Corner.

[Warren]

Questions about Princess Anne's title of Princess Royal have been moved to the British Styles & Titles thread in the British Forums.

[Kataryn]

Originally Posted by Sangre_Real016

and unlike Prince Charles, Lady Diana can boast ancestry to the Kings of France, Grand Dukes of Tuscany, Dukes of Milan and even to the most powerful aristocratic family of the Dukes of Alba, leading all the way to the House of Capet of the Capetian Dynasty..

Prince Charles may have more royal ancestors from the more recent history, but Lady Diana though only came from a much humbler aristocratic background, can boast ancestry from also every single Royal House in Europe since time immemorial.. ..

This is all well said, but I don't believe that Charles does not have similar ancestry and having such Royal ancestry does not make you a Royal.

The closest link in my family tree to the nobility are two noble great-great-grandmothers, who due to the French revolution and two lost World Wars first married into the wealthy bourgeoise out of France who lconsequently ost their money bit by bit till we are now well-educated but very normal people. While the Heads of these families today still own their chateaux and estate. Lucky cousins!

Their families had thrived on good marriages, while the basic familes were not that noble (Barons and Counts), they served their kings and overlords (like the Guise-family) and were rewarded with heiresses of exceptionally good bloodlines. Thus I can trace my line through several daughters and sons of Charlesmagne, William the Conqueror, Alfred the Great of Wessex, the first Habsburg and Hohenzollern Counts, the Zaehringen, the great dukes of Saxony, to the Billungs of the North, numerous German emperors from Otto The Great, Frederick Barbarossa or the Luxembourg emperors Bohemian lines... Lorraine, Bar, Hainault, Champagne, Bourgogne, Bretagne, Acquitaine, Savoy of Piedmont, Tuscany - name it, a connection is there.
And I just started to look for it. So I don't wonder that Lady Diana Spencer probably had a much better access to these close-knit Royals up to the 16th century.

One thing I learned from my research was: it is just a matter of luck or fate who you are descended from, nothing to feel special about. It's what you make out of your life that counts. And Charles did a great job in creating him into today's "Prince of Wales". And anyone else has a chance to so in his own circumstances. A nice touch, though that you can get help from the Prince of Wales when living in the Uk. This is much more than what you get from the most noble Lord the Earl Spencer who shares Diana's noble ancestry but not Charles' nobility of spirit. IMHO, of course.

[Dman]

True, Diana's blood was bluest.

[NGalitzine]

Originally Posted by Kataryn

.

Now please explain to me how Lady Diana Spencer could have had more Royal blood than her husband?

I have read the numerous posts on Diana's ancestry and havent quite figured that one out myself. It all sounds like a rather liberal interpretation of "royal" in order to somehow boost Diana up and demeen her former husband which seems rather pointless since her former husband is a future King with a rather long traceable history throughout the royal families of Europe. The fact remains that the Windsors are the royal family and the Spencers are your basic garden variety English noble family.

[Dman]

I don't see the reason why anyone will try to put Charles's ancestry down. Both Charles & Diana came from blue blooded families.
.

[Spheno]

Originally Posted by Dman

I don't see the reason why anyone will try to put Charles's ancestry down. Both Charles & Diana came from blue blooded families.

Charles came from royal family, Diana came from noble family.

[Dman]

Originally Posted by Spheno

Charles came from royal family, Diana came from noble family.

Right, but their families are still blue bloods.

[Marc23]

Originally Posted by NGalitzine

It all sounds like a rather liberal interpretation of "royal" in order to somehow boost Diana up and demeen her former husband which seems rather pointless since her former husband is a future King with a rather long traceable history throughout the royal families of Europe. The fact remains that the Windsors are the royal family and the Spencers are your basic garden variety English noble family.

It sometimes sounds as a consolation for not being born a royal or at least mediatized to be treated as equal...

The truth is that she descends further from various royal and prominent families,but it is also the truth that in 17th,18th and 19th century marriage concept her status of a daughter of an Earl would not be enough for any reigning or most mediatized families...

[Warren]

Kate Middleton: New study reveals Duchess's links to earls, countesses and a former Prime Minister | Mail Online

The Duchess of Cambridge was the first commoner to marry the heir to the throne in 350 years and is descended from coal miners, a road sweeper and even a prisoner. But new research into her family has revealed that the middle class princess has noble blood after all. A previously unknown branch of the Middleton's family tree shows Kate can count earls, countesses and even a Prime Minister among her ancestors.

Pupils in Melbourne, Australia, stumbled across the link during a genealogy project set by their teacher. The children were asked to research either the family tree of the Duchess, David Beckham or rapper 50 Cent using an online programme.

It was soon discovered that the Duchess was related to William Petty FitzMaurice, the 1st Marquess of Lansdowne, whose ancestral seat Bowood House in Wiltshire is considered one of Britain's best stately homes. He served as Prime Minister between July 1782 and April 1783 during the reign of George III and is remembered for negotiating the peace settlement that ended the American War of Independence. Kate is the second cousin three times removed of Barbara Lupton, who became Lady Bullock when she married Sir Christopher Bullock. Sir Christopher, a descendent of William Petty FitzMaurice, worked as principal private secretary to Winston Churchill and later became permanent under-secretary at the British Air Ministry.

The Duchess's family line was traced back five generations to the Marquess of Lansdowne and his brother Thomas FitzMaurice who lived at the Buckinghamshire stately home Cliveden with his wife Mary, 4th Countess of Orkney in the late 18th century. The teacher contacted Edward, the surviving son of Sir Christopher and Lady Bullock who confirmed the connection. He also sent his findings to the Duchess, who thanked him for the research.

William Bortrick, the chairman of Burke's Peerage, said it will make an 'interesting inclusion' in the next edition of the guide, which will be published after the Duchess gives birth.

.

[BritishRoyalist]

I made a British Royal Family Tree Tracing Queen Elizabeth Ancestry Line back to the Tudors. Please Tell me what you think and if In made any mistakes, error, etc.

1. 14th Great Grandparent King Henry VII 1457-1509 Elizabeth of York 1466-1503

2. 13th Great Grandparents Margaret Tudor 1489-1541 Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus 1489-1557- Margaret Tudor Daughter of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York

3. 12th Great Grandparent Margaret Douglas 1515-1578 Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox 1516-1571

4. 11th Great Grandparents Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley 1545-1567 Mary, Queen of Scots 1489-1541- Henry Stuart Son of Margaret Douglas and Matthew Stewart

5. 10th Great Grandparent King James I 1566-1625 Anne of Denmark 1574-1619- James I Son of Henry and Mary of Scots

6. 9th Great Grandparents Elizabeth Stuart 1596-1662 Frederick V, Elector Palatine 1596-1632- Elizabeth Daughter of James I and Anne of Denmark

7. 8th Great Grandparents Sophia of Hanover 1630-1714 Ernest Augustus 1629-1629- Sophia of Hanover Daughter of Frederick V, Elector and Elizabeth

8. 7th Great Grandparents King George I 1660-1727 Sophia Dorothea of Celle 1666-1726-King George I Son of Sophia of Hanover and Ernest Augustus

9. 6th Great Grandparents King George II 1683-1760 Caroline of Ansbach 1683-1737- George II Son of Gorge ! and Sophia

10. 5th Great Grandparents Frederick, Prince of Wales 1707-1751 Princess Augusta 1719-1772- Frederick Son of George II and Caroline

11. 4th Great Grandparents King George III 1738-1820 Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz 1744-1818- George III Son of Frederick and Augusta


12. 3rd Great Grandparents Prince Edward, Duke of Kent 1767-1820 Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld 1786-1861- Prince Edward Son of George III And Charlotte

13. Great Great Grandparents Queen Victoria 1819-1901 Prince Albert 1819-1861- Victoria Daughter of Edward and Princess Victoria

14. Great Grandparents King Edward VII 1841-1910 Alexandra of Denmark 1844-1925- Edward VII Son of Victoria and Albert

15. Grandparents King George V 1865-1936 Queen Mary of Teck 1867-1953
-George V Son of Edward and Alexandra

16. Parents King George VI 1856-1952 Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother 1900-2002
-George VI Son of George and Mary

Queen Elizabeth II Born 1926 Prince Philip Born 1921
Daughter of King George VI and Elizabeth


Next Generations:
Prince Charles Born 1948 Princess Diana 1961-1997 married 1981-1996
Son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip

Prince Williams Born 1982, Married Kate Middleton Born 1982. Son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana

[vkrish]

Hey someone tell me..does Queen EII have the bloodline of William The Conqueror? Or from where was it interrupted? Who was the earliest English monarch she could be traced directly to? I know the line wasnt straight..(nephews, cousins, distant relatives etc..)..But still..could her ancestry be traced to William I? Or just to Henry VII?

[Spheno]

Originally Posted by vkrish

Hey someone tell me..does Queen EII have the bloodline of William The Conqueror? Or where was it interrupted? Who was the earliest English monarch she could be traced directly to? I know the line wasnt straight..(nephews, cousins, distant relatives etc..)..But still..could her ancestry be traced to William I?

of course
Ancestors of Queen Elizabeth II at RoyaList

[BritishRoyalist]

Originally Posted by vkrish

Hey someone tell me..does Queen EII have the bloodline of William The Conqueror? Or from where was it interrupted? Who was the earliest English monarch she could be traced directly to? I know the line wasnt straight..(nephews, cousins, distant relatives etc..)..But still..could her ancestry be traced to William I? Or just to Henry VII?

Yes you can trace it back to William the Conqueror. I started with the Tudors as it get kind of Complicated between William the Conqueror and the start of the Tudors. He is Elizabeth 22 Great Grandfather.

[Ish]

Originally Posted by BritishRoyalist

I made a British Royal Family Tree Tracing Queen Elizabeth Ancestry Line back to the Tudors. Please Tell me what you think and if Made any mistakes, error, etc.

14th Great Grandparent King Henry VII 1457-1509 Elizabeth of York 1466-1503

13th Great Grandparents Margaret Tudor 1489-1541 James IV of Scotland 1473-1513- Margret Tudor Daughter of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York

12th Great Grandparent Margaret Douglas 1515-1578 Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl 1516- 1571- Margaret Douglas Daughter of Margaret Tudor and James VI

11th Great Grandparents Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley 1545-1567 Mary, Queen of Scots 1489-1541- Henry Stuart Son of Margaret Douglas and James VI

This isn't entirely right. You've got most of the right people, but the wrong connections.

Margaret Tudor and James IV of Scotland had a son, James V. James V married Mary of Guise and had a daughter, Mary of Scots.

Margaret Tudor then married Archibald Douglas and had a daughter, Margaret Douglas. Margaret Douglas married Matthew Stewart and had a son, Henry Stuart.

Henry Stuart and Mary of Scots married and had a son. James VI, who became James I of England, and from whom Elizabeth II descends.

[Artemisia]

Originally Posted by vkrish

Hey someone tell me..does Queen EII have the bloodline of William The Conqueror? Or from where was it interrupted? Who was the earliest English monarch she could be traced directly to? I know the line wasnt straight..(nephews, cousins, distant relatives etc..)..But still..could her ancestry be traced to William I? Or just to Henry VII?

The Queen is a direct descendant of William the Conqueror through multiply lines: she is his 22nd great-granddaughter.

Elizabeth II is also a direct descendant of many Anglo-Saxon Kings, Kings of Scotland native Princes of Wales, and (High) Kings of Ireland, including Egbert of Wessex (generally accepted to have been the first King of England), Alfred the Great, Harold Godwinson, Rhys ap Gruffydd, Llywelyn the Great, Brian Boru, and many others.

One of the lines of descent from William the Conqueror:
- William the Conqueror
- Henry I
- Empress Matilda
- Henry II
- King John
- Henry III
- Edward I
- Edward II
- Edward III
- Lionel, 1st Duke of Clarence
- Philippa, 5th Countess of Ulster
- Roger, 4th Earl of March
- Anne de Mortimer
- Richard, 3rd Duke of York
- Edward IV
- Elizabeth of York
- Margaret Tudor
- James V of Scotland
- Mary, Queen of Scots
- James VI and I of Scotland and England
- Elizabeth of Bohemia
- Sophia, Electress of Hanover
- George I of Great Britian
- George II
- Frederick, Prince of Wales
- George III
- Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn
- Queen Victoria
- Edward VII
- George V
- George VI
- Queen Elizabeth II

[Ish]

She's also descended from the pre-conquest Wessex kings.

- Alfred the Great
- Edward the Elder
- Edmund I
- Edgar the Peaceful
- Æthelred the Unready
- Edmund Ironside
- Edward the Exile
- Saint Margaret of Scotland
- Matilda of Scotland
- Empress Matilda

[Artemisia]

Indeed, the Queen can trace her ancestry all the way back to Cedric, King of Wessex - the original Anglo-Saxon conqueror who founded and became the first King of Wessex from 519 to 534. All subsequent English Monarchs were descended from him.

- Cedric, King of Wessex
- Creoda
- Cynric of Wessex
- Ceawlin of Wessex
- Cuthwine of Wessex
- Cutha Cathwulf
- Ceolwald of Wessex
- Coenred of Wessex
- Ingild of Wessex
- Eoppa of Wessex (nephew of King Ine of Wessex)
- Eafa of Wessex
- Ealhmund, King of Kent
- Egbert, King of England
- Aethelwulf
- Alfred the Great
- Edward the Elder
- Edmund I
- King Edgar
- Ethelred II the Unready
- Edmund II Ironside
- Edward the Exile
- Margaret of Scotland
- Edith of Scotland
- Empress Matilda
- Henry II of England- King John
- Henry III
- Edward I
- Edward II
- Edward III
- Lionel, 1st Duke of Clarence
- Philippa, 5th Countess of Ulster
- Roger, 4th Earl of March
- Anne de Mortimer
- Richard, 3rd Duke of York
- Edward IV
- Elizabeth of York
- Margaret Tudor
- James V of Scotland
- Mary, Queen of Scots
- James VI and I of Scotland and England
- Elizabeth of Bohemia
- Sophia, Electress of Hanover
- George I of Great Britian
- George II
- Frederick, Prince of Wales
- George III
- Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn
- Queen Victoria
- Edward VII
- George V
- George VI
- Queen Elizabeth II

A bit off-topic but I just have to mention she is also descended from Armenian Kings (both those of the Kingdom of Armenia and the Cilician Kingdom of Armenia).