Prince William and Kate Middleton are Cousins!...

Are Prince William and Kate Middleton cousins? Is there a skeleton in the closet that has been deliberately kept from the public? It appears that the Prince and Middleton may indeed be distantly related.

10th July 2010. Kate MIddleton looks on as Prince William and Prince Harry play polo at the Beaufort Polo Club in Tetbury, Gloucestershire. Ref: KGC-40/starmaxinc.com Photo via Newscom

The UK Daily Mail reports that their common ancestor was actually a murderer, but he did have some royal connection. What a shock!

So, who links the couple? He is none other than Sir Thomas Leighton. Leighton served as an Elizabethan soldier as well as the Governor of Guernsey. Leighton is Prince Williamâ€™s 12 generation great grand-father, and he is Middletonâ€™s 11 generation great grand-father. The two are indeed 12 cousins once removed.

According to the Daily Mail, Leighton was awful, and he made life hellacious for those he ruled. However, he was a gentleman, which should give critics of Middleton a pause. Oddly, there is no surviving portrait of Leighton even though his wife was the Queenâ€™s cousin.

So, what does this mean? Not much. However, it is great fodder for gossip. The Palace has yet to announce the engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton. However, an announcement is expected to come any day now.

Â© Copyright: 2010 Kate James at Gather.com

Comments: 32

Ishbel R. Aug 3, 2010, 5:56pm UTC

Cousins, twelfth removed?

How CLOSE is that? Stop the relationship.

Rachel Dillin Aug 3, 2010, 6:15pm UTC

I know! I cannot believe they are going on!

J. McDole Aug 4, 2010, 6:16pm UTC

Oh, for Heaven's sake. They are miles from each other in the gene pool with a relation that far back. Even closer than that is legal EVERYWHERE in the U.S.

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M O. Aug 3, 2010, 5:58pm UTC

I thought everybody in England married their cousin! This is shocking.

Rachel Dillin Aug 3, 2010, 6:16pm UTC

That's probably true. We are actually all probably cousins when it comes right down to it.

M O. Aug 3, 2010, 6:18pm UTC

In fact, I'm not even from the UK and I think Ishbel (above) and I are cousins. We certainly are all related if you go back far enough. And isn't it more common in with 'the royals'? Keeping that blue blood blue and all?

Kerrell Goolsby Aug 4, 2010, 10:53am UTC

I thought everybody in England married their cousin! This is shocking. No, that's Arkansas, silly duck! Anyway, there are some states that prohibit first cousins from marrying and others prohibit cousins marrying period, regardless of how far along they are in the family line.

J. McDole Aug 4, 2010, 7:01pm UTC

These cousins are so far apart, they aren't even considered cousins.

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Ishbel R. Aug 3, 2010, 6:19pm UTC

What a ridiculous, non-news item.

Whether or not William and Katie-Waitie marry is of little interest to most British people, but how nice to see it merits articles by foreigners!

Rachel Dillin Aug 3, 2010, 6:32pm UTC

Well, we have no royal family, and we have to live vicariously.

Charis R. Aug 3, 2010, 8:58pm UTC

Tis true! We wish we had royal families ;)

Rachel Dillin Aug 3, 2010, 9:00pm UTC

At least since we don't, we can all be princesses here :D

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Kathy D. Aug 3, 2010, 9:41pm UTC

That's funny - I'll bet lots of us are distant cousins.

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Holly~Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History~ C. Aug 4, 2010, 11:02am UTC

Weren't Charles and Diana distant cousins? I think I remember reading that one time.

Holly~Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History~ C. Aug 4, 2010, 11:03am UTC

Thank you google! Charles and Diana were 7th cousins once removed. Charles and Camilla are 11th cousins.

Rachel Dillin Aug 4, 2010, 2:27pm UTC

Holly thanks for the additional information! Very interesting.

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Kim K. Aug 4, 2010, 12:36pm UTC

It appears that some people have nothing better to do than to dig up "TRASH" on others. They need to get a life!!

Twelve generations and are they sure it wasn't the butler's child?!?!

Rachel Dillin Aug 4, 2010, 2:28pm UTC

Who knows? It would probably be hard to tell at this point. I suppose a DNA test may reveal something.

Margaret Garside Aug 4, 2010, 4:08pm UTC

A DNA test would proably show as much relationship as between total strangers. When you need a kidney, the first person you call isn't your 11th cousin.

File this under BFD. But they seem like nice kids and I wish them well.