The discovery that Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and I were related came as a surprise to me, and the discovery was quite accidental. Queen Elizabeth and I are related through her maternal side of the family, with her mother, The Queen Mother, being my 18th cousin, 2x removed. I have also discovered a 2nd paternal connection with Her Majesty, this time as my 16th cousin, 2x removed through my paternal grandmother and through Her Majesty's paternal lineage.

The Queen and I share lineage through the Norman line of English royals (through the Queen Mother's lineage) rather than Her Majesty's German side of the family (through her father). Through Her Majesty's paternal lineage, we are related through our shared German/Danish lineage.

Depending on how you view things, there is either so much I could write about The Queen, or very little that I could write, considering her life and reign have been widely reported already. As the most recognizable person in the world, and England's longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II has dedicated her life to serving her subjects, both in Great Britain and throughout the Commonwealth (of which Canada is a member). Wherever I have travelled in the world, Queen Elizabeth has already been there, and everyone knows who she is.

Through Queen Elizabeth, I am also directly related to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Through an amazing coincidence, I am also related to the Royal Family through each of Queen Elizabeth's daughters in-law, including the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla Parker-Bowles and her husband's first wife, Princess Diana.

While I may be related to Queen Elizabeth II, I still don't think that this will give me any special advantage the next time I am in England and visiting one of the Royal palaces! I also do not think that I will be meeting with, and speaking to Her Majesty anytime soon, although that would be the highlight of my life to this point.

Who knows though? My extended family has had significant interactions in the past with the Royal family, so maybe one day I will be allowed to introduce myself to my Royal cousins. Until then, long live The Queen!

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