Family researchers have an uncovered a link between Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton and Irish-British singer Chris de Burgh, who is most famous for his hit ‘Lady in Red.’
Genealogists at a roadshow for the BBC's ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ program discovered the distant link between the British royalty and the part-Irish musician.
Experts believe that Michael Middleton, Kate’s father, is related to Edward III through his links to William Fairfax, a 16th century nobleman.
Edward III’s son, Lionel of Antwerp, married the Countess of Ulster Elizabeth de Burgh, which is where the connection occurs.
De Burgh himself was surprised to learn of the connection to Kate Middleton. The singer told The Sunday Times, "I was unaware that there is a distant connection between the de Burgh family and the Middletons.
"There are probably many others also connected to both families. At least that will give us something to talk about should we ever have a cup of tea together."
Despite the connection being distant, Tourism Ireland hopes to capitalize on Kate Middleton’s Irish roots and use it to campaign to draw more visitors to Ireland.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.STEVENSTAR | May 08, 2013, 12:45 PM EDT
NO IN IRELAND WE ONLY CLASS AMERICANS AS PLASTIC PADDIES NOT IRISH PEOPLE IN THE UK..
anglo-norman | Mar 05, 2013, 07:34 PM EST
StevenStar is a mite miffed I think..
IrelandNorth | Mar 05, 2013, 02:25 PM EST
It all went pear-shaped way back in 1169/'71 when that interloping carpetbagging indigenous provincial monarch - King Dermot McMurrough of Leinster/eastern Ireland - and the Foreigners, contracted-in a bit of mercenary help to secure the High Kingship of All Ireland. Giving his beautiful daughter Aoife's hand in marriage to the Wales's Earl of Pembroke (aka Strongbow), (Holy Roman Emperor Pope Adrian IV and England's King Henry II's enforcer), the aristocratic lineages of the British and/or Irish Isles were merged. But just wait 'til Liam agus Cáit christen their child Patrick or Patricia, and a future British monarch may lay claim to Ireland's sovereignty once again. Hmmm!
ancavker | Mar 05, 2013, 01:46 PM EST
STEVEN: So no you are interconnected with the English? OK, so that explains why your wear your Man U Jersey. But then if you are inter connected with the English, then why do you and so many other Irish in Ireland have problems with the Plastic Paddies in Britain, after all, the Irish came up with the name Plactic Paddy to descrbe those Irish in Britain whose parents, grandparents, great grand parents were from Ireland. And much as it pains you there are many Irish who are also interconnected with Irish-Americans so why such a problem with them? After all you keep claiming they are stealing your culture.
STEVENSTAR | Mar 05, 2013, 01:09 PM EST
@@anglo-norman | Mar 05, 2013, 04:12 AM EST>>>>>>>>>>>>> YOU DONT SOUND ENGLISH OR BRITISH TO ME .. IM NOT A POLITICAL PERSON HAVE NO INTEREST IN ANY OF IT.. BUT YOU SOUND LIKE ONE OF THEM PAISLY SORTS FROM NORTHERN IRELAND.. WHICH I CLASS AS A BUNH OF OULD TROUBLE MAKERS... AS THE MAJORITY OF ENGLISH PEOPLE I KNOW DONT GO ON LIKE YOU.. I BET YOUR ONE OF THEM UNINIST 'CHIP ON YOUR SHOULDER' TYPES... :) AM I RIGHT MATE ??..... HAS ANYONE BEEN UP THE NORTH OF IRELAND BELFAST ESPECIALLY MY GOD ITS ONE OF THE MOST DULL DREARY DEPRESSING PLACES ON PLANET ALWAYS DULLY AND RAINING ..SO I CAN SEE WHY U SO BITTER ANGLO :-)
anglo-norman | Mar 05, 2013, 04:12 AM EST
Maureen- But isn't there Irish people who call themselves british?
Maureen Hawkins | Mar 05, 2013, 02:13 AM EST
No, anglonorman; it gives the British the opportunity to petition to be Irish.
anglo-norman | Mar 05, 2013, 12:22 AM EST
StevenStar- If you say the Irish & English are inter-connected then doesn't that make the Irish british?
aloistmartin | Mar 04, 2013, 10:00 PM EST
I Wonder What The Poor People Are Doing ?
anglo-norman | Mar 04, 2013, 09:55 PM EST
StevenStar- You are full of it son...
Lacy | Mar 04, 2013, 09:27 PM EST
Maybe there's a reason William married her..because she is one of them and not a commoner.
Lacy | Mar 04, 2013, 09:25 PM EST
Yeah, she's related to the Norman-Merovingian-Reptilian bloodline from Babylon.."De Burge" you don't get any more merovingian than that...maybe that family still is deeply aware and connected to that stuff and nobody knows it...(o.k. i'm not saying I'm convinced of these theories people, so don't worry, but maybe anythings possible, I just think its a fascinating story..I couldn't help but bring it up here)..I'm talking about David Icke's and other's theories.
falconflash | Mar 04, 2013, 08:28 PM EST
Everyone wants to be Irish-American. Irish blood, American nationality --- doesn't get better than that....
CitizenWhy | Mar 04, 2013, 07:51 PM EST
It's posible that everyone in Ireland, England and Scotland related going that far back. I suspect evryone on the two islands is at least a 10th cousin.
STEVENSTAR | Mar 04, 2013, 07:22 PM EST
@@@anglo-norman | Mar 04, 2013, 06:39 PM EST The Irish are more british than they will admit.>>>>>> THATS A REAL LITTLE SMARMY COMMENT TO MAKE.. YOU MAKE A COMMENT LIKE THAT AND IT WILL ANNOY THE AMERICANS AND THE SMALL % OF REPULICANS ON HERE.. IM IRISH LIVING IN CORK AND ACTUALLY ALOT OF MY FAMILY ARE LIVING IN ENGLAND MY PARTNER IS ENGLISH AND SOME OF MY FAMILY IS ENGLISH.. KATE MIDDLETON ALSO HAS RELATIVE IN KILLARNEY CO. KERRY.... SURE WE IRISH AND ENGLISH ARE VERY INTER-CONNECTED BUT YOU WHEN YOU GO AND MAKE OULD SMARY COCKY COMMENTS LIKE THAT... ITS JUST MAKES PEOPLE THING YOUR A BIT OF AN OULT TWAT MATE ;-)...........OR MAYBE YOU JUST LIKE TO ANNOY PEOPLE..SO TRY AND SPREAD SOME MORE POSITIVE MESSAGES BECAUSE NOBODY REALLY LIKES AN ASS ....
anglo-norman | Mar 04, 2013, 06:39 PM EST
The Irish are more british than they will admit.
Bocktherobber | Mar 04, 2013, 06:12 PM EST
Portia, how recent do the invaders have to be to qualify as Irish? Your name would certainly not make you Irish compared to the Fir Bolg, who inhabited Ireland before the Gaels arrived.
seanomelb | Mar 04, 2013, 04:40 PM EST
slow news day at IC
Portia_O'Neill | Mar 04, 2013, 03:22 PM EST
De Burgh is a Norman name and of doubtful Irish ancestry. I expect to see Kate sporting a funny green hat along with her baby bump sometime around St.Patrick's Day.
RedBranch | Mar 04, 2013, 03:11 PM EST
Related to Chris De Burgh, Old hairy eyebrows himself; shame she doesn't look more like Roseanna Davidson then. Ole.
IrelandNorth | Mar 04, 2013, 02:18 PM EST
PS Án Rí/The King!
IrelandNorth | Mar 04, 2013, 02:16 PM EST
"Lady in green - is related to me!" De Burgh sounds Anglo-Norman. His folks probably came in with the Earl of Pembroke's/Strongbow's advance party for Henry II. (Gaelic Án Raí (phon/pron On Ree) for Henry may indicate obiesence?) She may yet preside laterally over a united Ireland back in the Commonwealth of Nations. Rumour has it that they're considering naming their child Patrick or Patricia for all Ireland?
jamieLM | Mar 04, 2013, 01:56 PM EST
@oonafitz - good post. I agree with you.
SarahinLA | Mar 04, 2013, 01:32 PM EST
Tourism Ireland are really grasping at straws. Would this connection be the Kilgarvan De Burgh's? Apparently they are a very respectable family, well known in the community.
Rebelforce | Mar 04, 2013, 11:06 AM EST
This reminds me of the story Jack McCarthy used to tell during the St Patrick's Day parade telecasts in the 1970s. When he discovered that President George Washington had cousins who were named McCarthy and that one of them served as a pall bearer at his funeral he rushed home to tell his mother the news. His mother's response: "Well, how lucky can one President be."
gobdawpaddy | Mar 04, 2013, 10:20 AM EST
I wonder if it was determined that the late 'Cheetah' had Irish connections, would the Irish be claiming him as 'one of their own'?
MarybethC.P. | Mar 04, 2013, 10:07 AM EST
I've always thought that Kate looked pretty enough to be an Irish lass! Her gorgeous facial bone structure has something of the Irish and Norman in it!
MarybethC.P. | Mar 04, 2013, 10:01 AM EST
Kate's mother-in-law, Lady Di, once visited the Mallow area of County Cork, where she is said to have met distant cousins. Genealogists have discovered that Diana has Roche and MacCurtain ancestors i gContae Chorcaighe.
oonafitz | Mar 04, 2013, 09:40 AM EST
Why are you concerned with proving that anyone famous has some distant Irish connection? It has always annoyed me when racial or ethnic groups felt the need to find people, inventions, accomplishments connected to them. I think most Irish people are secure enough in the value of Ireland's contributions to the world not to need to grab hold of people who most likely have no desire to be Irish.
darragh S | Mar 04, 2013, 09:24 AM EST
Oh well that's great. The Cambridge husband is also related to the Norman dude William the Conquer. I wonder though if De Burgh was one of those Norman Families that were capitulated into the Gaels after the Plague. That be a more fair and less harassing assessment of things for me. Havent had anything from de burgh. surely someone is also thinking a parody, the lady in green 'with the brown hat, is having tea with me... well then maybe De Burgh will gives us a rendition of the lady in red in stead. Lovely Fairy Tales for the kiddies though. Meanwhile back in the lab.