How Johnny Depp And Queen Elizabeth II Are Related

When you go down the genealogy rabbit hole, there is a pretty good chance you'll find some unexpected things. You might learn about your grandfather's military service, where your family originated from, or find brand-new family members you didn't know you had. NBC's series "Who Do You Think You Are?" allows celebrities the opportunity to explore their roots and family histories. The show has featured everyone from Sarah Jessica Parker to Smokey Robinson and has made some pretty incredible discoveries in the process. 

According to the Los Angeles Times, the British version of the show stumbled upon an extremely intriguing link between two of the world's most famous faces, actor Johnny Depp, and Elizabeth II, Queen of England. Queen Elizabeth II is the longest-reigning monarch in the history of the United Kingdom. Though she has ruled for nearly seven decades, she was never really supposed to be queen at all. In 1936, her uncle abdicated the crown, making Elizabeth's father, George, the king. Following his death in 1952, Elizabeth was crowned queen and has ruled ever since. 

During her reign, she has become one of the most respected and beloved royals in England's long history. As a British royal, she does have a long family legacy, and by default, a giant family tree. Turns out one of those branches could be connected to an American actor who is famous in his own right.

Johnny Depp is arguably one of the most talented and well-known actors on the planet. According to Biography, his career began in earnest in 1984 with his role in "Nightmare on Elm Street," which then opened the door for his recurring role on the hit show, "21 Jump Street." From then on he became every teen girl's obsession and became a huge star over the next three decades. 

Depp went on to star in multiple blockbuster films including cult classics like "Edward Scissorhands" and "What's Eating Gilbert Grape." These days he is best known for portraying the iconic Captain Jack Sparrow in Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie franchise. Turns out, though, he might have more ties to the royal crown than just his Disney character trying to rob East India Trading Company ships.

According to the Huffington Post, there is a high probability that the Queen of England and actor Johnny Depp are distant cousins. Their potential connection would be a 20x great grandfather, making them 20th cousins. So when they say distant, they mean distant. This connection cannot be completely confirmed due to the fact it rests on a 600-year-old unconfirmed marriage in the 1400s. Despite this, genealogist Nick Barrat believes that based on Depp's extensive documentation showing both French and English ancestry, the probability of the two being related is high.