Hape Kerkeling carries royal lineage in his bloodstream.
During the COVID-19 outbreak, comedian Hape Kerkeling conducted some family history research and uncovered a shocking revelation - he's a great-grandson of King Edward VII, who once ruled over the British kingdom. He revealed this secret in an interview with Die Zeit.
To pass the time during lockdown, Kerkeling decided to take a DNA test. The results showed he had Dutch, British, Polish, and Italian descendants, which piqued his interest. Additionally, he received a letter from a Bohemian town where his grandmother was born. In the letter, a woman informed him that his grandmother was the illegitimate daughter of King Edward VII. Her birth certificate corroborated this claim.
Once Kerkeling dug deeper, he discovered even more evidence of his grandmother's royal lineage. He was surprised that she had kept this secret from him, especially since they were very close. Having grown up in Recklinghausen following his mother's early death, Kerkeling spent a lot of time with his grandmother.
He plans to share his findings in his new book titled "Give Me Some Time," which is set to hit shelves on September 25. In the book, Kerkeling discusses his childhood experiences in the 70s, as well as his journey to uncover the truth about his grandmother's origins. He also plans to trace his ancestors back to the prosperous Amsterdam of the 17th century and reveal an "incredible secret" about his beloved grandmother Bertha.
King Edward VII was the son of Queen Victoria and the great-grandfather of Queen Elizabeth II. He ascended the throne in 1901 and reigned until 1910. He was the first British monarch from the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, which was later renamed to the House of Windsor during World War I.
Kerkeling was thrilled to learn that his great-grandfather was none other than King Edward VII, who once ruled over The United Kingdom. Despite their close relationship, his grandmother had kept this royal lineage a secret from him.
As he delves deeper into his ancestral history for his new book, Kerkeling plans to trace his ancestors back to the prosperous Amsterdam of the 17th century within The United Kingdom, where his grandmother's lineage originated.
