Have you discovered a (living) famous person in your extended family?

[Bellejazz]

I can't be sure yet, and won't be until later this year when I have got my hands on many more BDM certificates, but I think I may be (distantly) related to someone currently very famous.

Anyone else been in this position?

What did you do?

Keep you mouth shut and not tell a soul or tell everyone you know?

Attempt to contact the person or leave it be?

 

- Belinda.

*eta* It seems not so distant after all .................
I just used one of those "cousin calculator" charts and if my research is right then the person in question is my third cousin!

[behindthefrogs]

My wife is descended from William the Conqueror's mother.

This means she is related to the queen.  Not only that because William was illegitimate while her descent is legitimate she can claim to be one better!!!

David

[aghadowey]

My grandmother said we are related to a famous actress who's appeared in numerous movies, etc. over the last 30 years but I can't find enough of her background to make the connection. However, her surname is the same as our family (fairly uncommon), her 1st name is the feminine version our immigrant ancestor (and handed down in each branch ever since) and last but not least she looks exactly like my great-aunt and 2nd cousin. Maybe someday we'll see whether the story is true or not.

[LizzieW]

The answer is "No!".  Apart from the fact that one of my uncles was Mayor of Blackpool many moons ago.  My mum always said we were related to Nelson's mistress, but I can't find any connection. 

My uncle might have become famous but for the war, in fact I have a letter from a friend of my dad to him during the war where he says:

W had a concert arranged on a big scale in Glasgow for the troops and was going along splendidly till an air raid warning smashed it up.  This was downright rotten luck - for the real stuff was there and he would have made his mark, but I'm hoping he will get another chance.

Unfortunately, he never made it big, although he did used to work in the clubs around Manchester.

Lizzie

[Lady Di]

My wife is descended from William the Conqueror's mother.

This means she is related to the queen.  Not only that because William was illegitimate while her descent is legitimate she can claim to be one better!!!

David

Ohhh David, we must be related as I have a direct line to William the Conqueror's sister  - and I tell the world about that one!!

I mention our connection to another living VIP to a select few (family members) but generally keep my mouth shut about that one.

Good luck Bellejazz - hope your search is successful

Di

[AnneMc]

Can't find anyone famous still living in my family lines.  But my aunt was the Mayor of Bridlington, Yks. and she is still on the council now.

Cheers
Anne

[stoney]

Nah! We're all dead common, us! (wiping snotty nose along sleeve....)

OH's family are a bit posher - one of them was on first-name terms with Holst (wrote "The Planets" suite) and of course they lived in India (days of the Raj and all that....)

....excuse me, I need to remember my place (wipe snotty nose, again!)

[madpants]

I'm just soooo nosey, it's really frustrating not knowing WHO you're related to, who you're talking about 

[meles]

Nah! Sniff. Wipe nose on sleeve.

Like stoney, we're dead common.

The closest I come to gentry is that my great aunt was nanny to a posh family, one of whom had a species of snowdrop named after him. He's dead famous in horticultural circles...

meles (who actually loves snowdrops and was delighted with the connection  )