Queen Elizabeth II is one of the most famous and influential monarchs in the world. She has reigned over the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth for nearly 70 years, breaking records and making history. But how is she connected to the first Norman king of England, William the Conqueror, who invaded and conquered the country in 1066?
The Royal Family Tree
The answer is not simple, as the royal family tree is a complex and tangled web of different dynasties, marriages, and successions. The Queen is not a direct descendant of William the Conqueror in a straight line, but rather through various branches and twists.
According to Express.co.uk, the Queen is the great x27 granddaughter of William the Conqueror, but the line leading to her is convoluted. William I had no male-line descendants, meaning that his sons did not have sons who inherited the throne. Instead, his daughter Adela married Stephen of Blois, and their son Stephen became king of England in 1135, after a disputed succession.
Stephen’s reign was challenged by his cousin Matilda, who was also a descendant of William the Conqueror through his son Henry I. Matilda’s son Henry II eventually became king in 1154, founding the Plantagenet dynasty that ruled England until 1485.
The Queen is related to both Stephen and Henry II, as well as to other Plantagenet kings such as Richard I (the Lionheart), Edward I (Longshanks), and Edward III. She is also related to the Tudor dynasty that followed the Plantagenets, through Henry VII, who was a descendant of Edward III’s son John of Gaunt.
Henry VII’s son Henry VIII had six wives and three children who became monarchs: Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. Elizabeth I died without an heir in 1603, ending the Tudor line. She was succeeded by her cousin James VI of Scotland, who was also James I of England. He was a descendant of Henry VII’s daughter Margaret Tudor, who married James IV of Scotland.
James I was the founder of the Stuart dynasty that ruled England and Scotland until 1714, with some interruptions due to civil wars and revolutions. The Queen is related to all the Stuart monarchs, such as Charles I, Charles II, James II, William III and Mary II, Anne, and their predecessors in Scotland.
The last Stuart monarch, Anne, died without surviving children in 1714. She was succeeded by her second cousin George I, who was a descendant of James I’s daughter Elizabeth Stuart. George I was the first king of the Hanoverian dynasty that ruled Britain until 1901. He was also a descendant of William the Conqueror through his mother Sophia of Hanover, who was a descendant of Henry II’s daughter Matilda of England.
The Queen is related to all the Hanoverian monarchs, such as George II, George III, George IV, William IV, Victoria, and Edward VII. She is also related to their successors in the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (later Windsor), such as George V, George VI, and her father King George VI.
The Surprising Truth
So what is the surprising truth about the Queen’s relation to William the Conqueror? It is that she is not only related to him through one line, but through many different lines. In fact, according to Wikipedia, every monarch since William I is related to him in some way.
This means that the Queen is not only his great x27 granddaughter, but also his great x28 granddaughter (through Henry VII), his great x29 granddaughter (through Margaret Tudor), his great x30 granddaughter (through Elizabeth Stuart), and so on.
Moreover, this also means that many other Britons are related to William the Conqueror as well. Some genealogists claim that up to 25 percent of the English population descend from him. This includes many famous people such as Winston Churchill, Jane Austen, Charles Darwin, John Lennon, and even Barack Obama.
So if you are British or have British ancestry, there is a good chance that you are also related to William the Conqueror. You may not be able to trace your lineage back to him as easily as the Queen can, but you can still claim him as one of your ancestors.
Conclusion
William the Conqueror was one of the most important figures in British history. He changed the course of the country’s destiny by defeating Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings and establishing Norman rule over England.
He also left a lasting legacy in his descendants, who have shaped the history and culture of Britain and the world for centuries. Among them is Queen Elizabeth II, who is his great x27 granddaughter and one of his most illustrious relatives.
But the Queen is not the only one who can claim William the Conqueror as an ancestor. Many other Britons, famous or not, can also trace their roots back to him. He is, in a way, the father of the nation.
