DNA test revealed:

Hape Kerkeling is related to a queen!

Hape Kerkeling posed dressed as Dutch Queen Beatrix in 1991 - now it has been revealed that he is indeed of royal blood.(Bild: Hammer / dpa / picturedesk.com)

The popular comedian Hape Kerkeling (59) recently embarked on an exciting journey into his past and discovered an unexpected connection to one of the most famous personalities in history: Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022).

Kerkeling, who has been passionate about genealogical research for years, created a detailed family tree dating back to the 13th century, according to the magazine "Bunte". His search led him to Theoderic von Kerckerinck zu Stapel, an ancestor from the Middle Ages.

DNA tests and genealogy platform
With the help of a DNA test and the use of special genealogy platforms, Kerkeling was able to locate further relatives. Some of the connections he found were confirmed, while others turned out to be a mistake. As a result, the "Kerkeling clan" community grew steadily.

The German comedian Hape Kerkeling is widely connected ...(Bild: Thomas Schröer / Action Press / picturedesk.com)

Great cousin of the Queen
The entertainer's paternal line leads to Amelsbüren, now a district of Münster in Westphalia. A prominent ancestor from this line was the well-known Lübeck merchant Godert Kerckrinck (1575-1645), whose portrait is even immortalized in a painting by the Dutch painter Govert Flinck (1615-1660).

However, the discovery that he was related to the late Queen Elizabeth II was a very special surprise for Hape Kerkeling. According to "Bunte", he is a great cousin of the monarch through his grandmother Berta, who was adopted.