Britain’s brand new monarch, King Charles III, has family ties more interesting than most, and is connected through blood to some of the most prolific royal names and aristocratic families across the world.
It should come as no surprise then that his family tree also has a bloodier side, with DNA linking him to a rather infamous and contentious historical figure dubbed the “real-life Dracula”.
WATCH: King Charles pledges he will not be a ‘meddling king’.
For those who haven’t guessed, we are referring to Vlad the Impaler, a 15th-century ruler of the Romanian region of Wallachia, who is rather famous for his namesake torture method.
Known to kill his enemies by impaling them on wooden stakes, initiating an excruciating death that unfortunately for the victims could take days, his brutality is said to have inspired Bram Stoker’s iconic gothic horror novel “Dracula”.
According to sources, whilst our new monarch is related to old Vlad, it is distant (thank god).
Unpacking the DNA, it has been confirmed that Charles is the great-grandson 16 times removed from Vlad, through the consort of George V, Queen Mary.
It remains to be seen if Charles is happy about this genetic connection, but his distant relation may explain his longtime love of Romania, especially Transylvania, which he first visited in 1998.
Since then, he bought and restored an 18th-century cottage in the village of Viscri as well as several other properties in Transylvania’s countryside in the Zalanului Valley, Malancrav and Breb, all of which were small villages that with help from Charles, have received a big tourism boost.
Of particular note is Viscri, which has received visitors in excess of 60 times more than usual in recent years after being so heavily promoted by the then Prince of Wales.
The monarch has also undertaken extensive charity work in the region through the Prince of Wales Foundation, including farming systems, sustainable development, and conservation endeavors.
In 2017, the mayor of the city of Alba Iulia even claimed they invited Charles to accept the honorary title of Prince of Transylvania for his love and commitment to the region – wow!
It will surely be a busy few months ahead for the 73-year-old as he adjusts to life as King of the Commonwealth, but we are sure that with time, he will make an effort to return to his Romanian roots.
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