Cliff Notes – Yet another celebrity discovers they’re related to a king 9 years after Danny Dyer
- Will Young has uncovered his royal ancestry, revealing a direct lineage to King Edward I and Hugh Le Despenser during his appearance on BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are?
- The singer expressed that the experience was "soul nourishing" and reflected on his grandfather’s wartime history, leading him to consider a career as a school counsellor.
Yet another celebrity discovers they’re related to a king 9 years after Danny Dyer
After Danny Dyer tapped into his royal ancestry almost a decade ago, we have another unexpected British celeb to add to the roster (Picture: BBC)
It’s been nine years since Danny Dyer unforgettably discovered he was related to English royalty – and now Will Young is following in his footsteps.
The Eastenders star, 47, couldn’t have possibly have predicted he shared a direct bloodline with William the Conqueror and King Edward III when he appeared on BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are? in 2016.
Not only that, but he even has ties with Henry VIII’s adviser and English Reformation advocate, Thomas Cromwell – all of which was explored in his hands-on 2019 documentary Right Royal Family.
Nothing screams niche British nepo baby like finding some blue-blooded skeletons in your closet and now the 46-year-old singer has his own aristocratic claim to fame on his episode of the genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are?
During the episode, the former Pop Idol winner discovered his relation to Hugh Le Despenser, an adviser to King Edward II who became one of the richest men of the time after seizing land in South Wales.
But the shock revelations didn’t end there as he also discovered King Edward I – who ruled on the turn of the 13th and 14th century – was his direct ancestor, 20 times over.
Will Young is the next British celeb to discover his blue blood (Picture: BBC/Wall to Wall Media/Jack Coathupe)
Will Young’s royal ancestry can be traced back to King Edward I (Picture: BBC/Wall to Wall/Stephen Perry/PA Wire)
Reflecting on it all he called it one of the most ‘soul nourishing experiences I’ve ever had.’
He continued: ‘I didn’t expect it, my 20 times great-grandfather was Edward I, that’s just bonkers, and then we move to the man, the myth, the legend, the horror that is Hugh Le Despenser, who’s just an absolute monster of a man.’
It won’t be long before the UK has accidentally built an exclusive selection of British celebs who can unite to overthrow the monarchy with their own claim to the throne.
Elsewhere in the episode the actor grew emotional after finding out his grandfather Digby Young was a prisoner of war during the Second World War at German-occupied prison in Poland.
The bomber pilot managed to bribe himself out and went onto become a Squadron Leader flying jets.
As well as Hugh and King Edward I, he also discovered a portrait of his ancestorColonel Sir Aretas (Picture: BBC/Wall to Wall/Penelope Taylor/PA Wire)
In an interview with Metro, Will revealed he was considering becoming a school counsellor (Picture: BBC/Wall to Wall/Stephen Perry/PA Wire)
He reflected: ‘It’s completely not how I saw him at all. I didn’t know he went on to do any of this. Now I feel like I’ve got another grandfather. I didn’t feel like I had a right, really, to claim another grandfather, because I didn’t know him.’
And even got a tattoo of his plane and squadron number in his memory.
The Strictly Come Dancing star is behind four UK number one singles and recently told Metro that he was considering a career change after finding a passion for helping young people.
‘‘If I don’t end up fostering I’ve been looking into training to become a school counsellor,’ Will told Metro.
‘I think there’s a huge need for school counsellors, and so I will definitely be in some sort of way aiding, helping and guiding younger people, because I’m of that age now.
‘I think it’s important for people to know that you can be parental, even if you don’t have kids.
‘You can still find that part of you, and I think that’s really important for people to realise, and important for myself,’ he explained.
Will Young’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are airs on BBC One at 9pm on June 3.
