Brad Pitt’s Queen Elizabeth Connection Links Back to Henry II
Brad Pitt is part of the glamorous Hollywood A-list elite, known for his dashing good looks and personable demeanor. The past three decades working in the film industry have prepared him for just about any role, including one of royalty.
It was recently discovered that, in real life, Pitt comes from a royal bloodline. The Ocean’s Eleven actor has a distant relation to Queen Elizabeth II, with connections to Henry II, the king of England during the 12th century.
Hollywood’s best supporting actor
Once married to Angelina Jolie, the couple shares six children together. The 57-year-old actor got his big break in 1991 when he played a sexy young hitchhiker in the film Thelma and Louise.
The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood star has since taken on roles that have included an astronaut, vampire, warrior, soldier, police detective, and thief. He has never portrayed a character of British royalty, that is, until now.
According to The Daily Mail, Pitt recently poked fun at the “Megxit” scandal during the 73rd annual EE British Academy Film Awards. Accepting the award on his behalf for Best Supporting Actor was Pitt’s film co-star Margot Robbie.
Holding up the award, she read his tongue-in-cheek acceptance speech, awkwardly stating, “He says he is going to name this Harry because he is really excited about bringing it back to the States with him.”
Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, who were in attendance at the ceremony, nervously chuckled. However, it is safe to assume that Pitt won’t be spending time sipping tea at The House of Windsor any time soon, regardless of his newfound link to royalty.
The actor comes from a royal bloodline
According to FindMyPast.com, the two-time Academy Award-winning actor is the 25th cousin, twice removed, of Queen Elizabeth II. The common ancestor to both Pitt and the Queen Mum is Henry II.
Pitt’s ex-wife also has a lineage that can be traced back to the royal family, making Jolie his very distant cousin. King Henry II was married to Eleanor of Aquitaine, the first wife of Louis VII of France, whose father was King Philip II.
The Duchess of Brabant, called Marie of France, was the daughter of King Philip II. The Maleficent actor is related to Marie France, making her the 26th cousin of Queen Elizabeth II.
Brad Pitt is a distant cousin of one of England’s greatest monarchs
According to Britannica, King Henry II was the duke of Normandy, Count of Anjou, and duke of Aquitaine.
The 12th-century ruler reigned as the king of England from 1154 until his death in 1189 at the age of 56. Credited with expanding the Anglo-French domains, he is responsible for strengthening England’s royal administration.
The king famously restricted the power of the church courts, much to the dismay of the archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket. Henry II ordered the death of the archbishop, later betrayed by his wife and children for his actions.
Once considered one of England’s greatest monarchs for uniting a divided kingdom, he became a ferocious leader that earned a reputation for building an empire across the continent. He is also responsible for establishing a criminal justice system.
