Benedict Cumberbatch is one of those actors who’s got the kind of talent and charm that makes you think he could totally belong to a world of grandeur and royalty.
With that career of his and all the epic roles he’s played (Sherlock Holmes and Richard III), it’s easy to picture the English actor as a part of some aristocratic family. And maybe even living in a grand palace!
But it’s not what you think. However, the real story behind his family history is, indeed, super fascinating. So, while Cumberbatch may not be a direct descendant of royalty, his lineage is far from ordinary. His roots go back to famous historical names, and yep, there’s even a hint of royal blood in there too.
Benedict Cumberbatch in Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness (Credits: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)The actor was born on July 19, 1976, in London to actors Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham. His early life was far from common—growing up in the posh borough of Kensington and Chelsea, he was environed by the world of drama from the get-go.
So, what is the reason he’s often entwind to royalty? Well, it’s because his family tree holds some surprising royal connections. Curious? Let’s dig in and uncover the fascinating details!
Benedict Cumberbatch’s family tree and rich history
Benedict Cumberbatch in The Imitation Game (Credits: The Weinstein Company)The story of Benedict Cumberbatch‘s ancestors dates back to the 1700s, and it includes some very astonishing facts. His 7th-great-grandfather, Abraham Cumberbatch, lived in Barbados during the 18th century.
He was an elite landowner who controlled plantations that employed slaves to labor the land. Abraham had a magnificent estate known as St. Nicholas Abbey, which was one of the most prevalent residences on the island at the time.
Moving forward a few generations, Cumberbatch’s great-great-great-grandfather, Abraham Parry Cumberbatch, proceeds to benefit from the family’s fortune. He had two enormous estates, Cleland and Lammings, where 250 slaves were compelled to work.
When slavery was eradicated in the British Empire in 1833, this family member obtained financial compensation for the loss of his “property.” In fact, he gained an ample sum—£5,388—thanks to the Slave Compensation Act of 1837. That money allowed the Cumberbatch family stay among Britain’s the most prosperous during the nineteenth century.
By the time Cumberbatch was born in 1976, most of the family’s fortune was gone. He grew up in a modest, middle-class household. Cumberbatch did not receive an inheritance, but his family had great diplomatic links. His great-great-grandfather, Robert William Cumberbatch, served as a British consul in Turkey and Russia.
His grandpa, Henry Carlton Cumberbatch, preserved the family’s diplomatic history. He had been a submarine officer throughout both World Wars and was an acknowledged name in London’s high society.
Benedict Cumberbatch reportedly shares ancestry with Richard III
Benedict Cumberbatch in The Hollow Crown (Credits: BBC)According to scientists (via The Guardian), Benedict Cumberbatch has a distant connection to one of the most famous English kings: Richard III. Yes, the same Richard III who ruled England from 1483 to 1485.
While the English actor isn’t directly related to him in the way that, say, a prince might be to the throne, he is indeed linked to Richard III—albeit in a very distant manner. According to genealogists, Cumberbatch is a second cousin, 16 times removed, of the infamous king.
How did this connection come to light? Kevin Schurer, a genealogist at the University of Leicester, has traced Cumberbatch’s ancestry to Richard III through his mother, Cecily Neville, who was Richard’s mother. Cumberbatch shares a bloodline with Richard III that goes all the way back to the 15th century.
But the connection isn’t just a simple one. In fact, Cumberbatch’s ties to Richard are deeper, with multiple links through the Yorkists, Lancastrians, and Tudors. As Schurer said:
In terms of number of generations, the shortest is via Richard’s mother Cecily Neville’s grandmother Joan Beaufort. He also has more indirect links to both Queen Elizabeth II and Lady Jane Grey through other ancestors in his tree.
In fact, his relationship with Richard III became even more prevalent when he attended the king’s reburial in 2015. In 2012, Richard III’s remains went missing underneath a car park in Leicester, and Cumberbatch was asked to honor his long-lost uncle by reading a poem at the reburial ceremony.
Carol Ann Duffy, the UK’s poet laureate at the time, wrote the poem that the actor recited. Interestingly, Cumberbatch also played Richard III in the BBC series The Hollow Crown, which is based on Shakespeare’s Wars of the Roses plays.
A lot of people in the UK can trace their roots back to Richard III. Genealogists believe anywhere from one to 17 million folks could have some distant link to the king. But the movie star’s family tree? It’s a whole lot closer to Richard than most.
Benedict Cumberbatch also has ties to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Benedict Cumberbatch in Sherlock (Credits: BBC)As if being related to Richard III wasn’t enough, Benedict Cumberbatch’s family tree also connects him to one of the most famous writers in British history: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (as reported by Conan Doyle Estate). Yes! The brains behind Sherlock Holmes and the detective genre’s global fame is part of Ben’s extended family.
Cumberbatch and Conan Doyle are 16th cousins, twice removed, thanks to a shared ancestor, John of Gaunt, the 14th-century Duke of Lancaster. John was the fourth son of King Edward III, so Cumberbatch’s connection to Conan Doyle definitely has some royal prestige.
Though they never crossed paths (John lived in the 1300s, and Conan Doyle passed in 1930), their shared history is pretty fascinating. Ancestry.com dug up this connection, and it’s one of those mind-blowing facts that’s actually real.
Cumberbatch, who played Sherlock Holmes in the BBC series, is related to the man who created him. Being linked to the creator of the character you’re bringing to life? Now that is something so cool!