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    1. Celebrity News

    Meghan Markle is related to an extremely high profile name

    And we never knew...

    Jenny Proudfoot's avatar
    By Jenny Proudfoot
    Published 10 July 2020 In News

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    (Image credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
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    And we never knew...

    Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made news earlier this year as they stepped down from their roles as ‘senior’ members of the royal family, becoming financially independent.

    The Sussex couple lost their HRH titles and their Sussex Royal brand and moved across the pond, relocating to Los Angeles, California, where they are currently observing the quarantine as a family of three.

    It wasn't their new property, their A-list neighbours or even Meghan surprising everyone with her 'perfect' Spanish that has made the most news recently.

    Instead, the Duchess of Sussex got the world talking for the most unlikely reason as it emerged that she was related to a very high profile figure.

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    Of course, from marrying into the Mountbatten-Windsors, Meghan now has many high profile relatives to her name, but it appears that the former Suits actress had some well known relatives of her own before meeting Prince Harry.

    Yes, really. According to MyHeritage, Meghan is distantly related to none other than Winston Churchill, the former British Prime Minister, with the duo reported to be sixth cousins, five times removed.

    Marie Claire Newsletter

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    And it's not just Winston Churchill, with Meghan also reported to be a distant relative of William Shakespeare, with the iconic playwright said to be her fifth cousin, 13 times removed.

    Well, this is the Meghan Markle news we certainly weren't expecting.

    Jenny Proudfoot
    Jenny Proudfoot
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    Contributing Features Editor

    Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. After working at Marie Claire UK for seven years - rising from intern to Features Editor - she is now a freelance contributor to the News and Features section.

    In 2021, Jenny was named as a winner on the PPA's '30 under 30' list, and was also listed as a rising star in journalism.

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