How Benedict Cumberbatch is related to Richard III: Sherlock star is infamous monarch's second cousin 16 times removed

Remembered in history by some as a murderous tyrant, few people may want to be related to Richard III.

But the historian who confirmed the identity of the old king’s remains when they were discovered in a Leicester car park has found a direct link between the former Plantagenet monarch and English actor Benedict Cumberbatch, the Daily Mail reports.

Professor Kevin Schürer said that the pair are second cousins, 16 times removed.

The actor will play Richard III in a forth-coming television program and it's not the first time the actor's ancestry has revealed surprising parallels with his roles, as genealogists claimed he was related to codebreaker Alan Turing, who he played in 'The Imitation Game'.

It has been estimated that between one million and 17 million people in the UK are related in some way related to the former Plantagenet monarch, although not as closely as Cumberbatch.

Professor Schürer said: ‘Benedict is Richard III’s second cousin, 16 removed.

‘He is linked in several ways, but 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.’

Professor Schürer first announced a link between the actor and the late king earlier this year, but at the time said that they were third cousins. He has since revised this.

Oscar-nominated Cumberbatch will take part in Thursday’s service of reinterment of King Richard III at Leicester Cathedral.

He will read a specially commissioned poem entitled ‘Richard’, by Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy.

The 38-year-old Sherlock actor will additionally star as the English king in BBC's The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses, an adaptation of four of Shakespeare's historical plays.

Cumberbatch family genealogist, Bob Cumberbatch, said: 'Personally, I think it's fabulous.

'My colleague Andrew Millard estimates that there is a probability greater than 99 per cent that a modern English person is descended from Edward III.'

However, he added that finding documentary evidence of this connection is a completely different matter.

'Miriam Silverman, of Ancestry UK, discovered a connection between Cumberbatch and Alan Turing and now the Leicester team have extended this to reveal a connection to Richard III.

'If Andrew Millard's conclusions are right then it seems highly probable that Benedict may indeed be related to many characters he has played and will play in future with some exceptions such as Sherlock.'
Richard was killed at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 - ending the Wars of the Roses and the Plantagenet dynasty.

His body was taken to Leicester by supporters of the victorious Henry VII and buried in Greyfriars church.

In February 2013 a skeleton discovered beneath a Leicester car park was confirmed as that of the English king.