Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are Related!

The British royal family shared some big news today. It was officially announced that Prince Harry and his girlfriend, actress and philanthropist Meghan Markle, are engaged! Congratulations to the happy couple!

According to the official announcement, the couple will marry in the spring of next year.

Images: DoD photo by E.J. Hresom (CC BY 2.0) / Genevieve, Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

They were introduced by a mutual friend and have been together for over a year. While making their debut as an engaged couple outside of Kensington Palace, Prince Harry revealed that he knew she was the one from the moment they met.

Markle is perhaps best known for staring on the legal drama series, Suits. Earlier this month, it was announced that Markle would be leaving the show ahead of its eighth season, sparking speculation of an upcoming engagement to Prince Harry.

As fifth in line to the British throne, Prince Harry first had to ask his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, for permission to propose. In 1772, King George III, who was known to be mentally unstable, passed the Royal Marriages Act, which required all of his direct descendants to be granted permission by the ruling sovereign before marrying. In more recent years, the restriction has applied to only the first six people in the line of succession.

Markle was born in Los Angeles, California on August 4, 1981 to a Caucasian father and an African-American mother. Although they are from opposite sides of the Atlantic, it turns out Prince Harry and Markle are also related – albeit distantly. Through Geni’s World Family Tree, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are 12th cousins once removed!

How are you related to the newly engaged couple? Explore their family trees and share your connection in the comments below!