Trump and King Charles are cousins, report claims. US President reacts

A report has traced Donald Trump and King Charles III to a shared Scottish ancestor and identified them as 15th cousins. Their shared ancestor is said to be the 3rd Earl of Lennox, a descendant of King James II of Scotland.

In Short

• Their common ancestor is the 3rd Earl of Lennox, linked to King James II of Scotland
• Trump’s mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, emigrated from Scotland
• King Charles is on a US state visit, hosted by Trump at the White House

History has a way of circling back in unexpected ways. A newly traced lineage suggests that US President Donald Trump and King Charles III may be connected by blood. According to a Daily Mail report, the two men share a common ancestor from a 16th-century Scottish noble family.

The report claims Trump and King Charles are 15th cousins.

Their shared ancestor is said to be the 3rd Earl of Lennox, a descendant of King James II of Scotland. This noble lineage places both men within the extended European royalty, the report claims.

The history of this shared ancestor is marked by conflict and intrigue. The Earl of Lennox was deeply involved in a violent power struggle over control of the young King James V. He was ultimately defeated at the Battle of Linlithgow Bridge in 1526 and, after being captured, was killed by a rival laird known as the Bastard of Arran. His death became part of a turbulent chapter in Scotland’s royal history.

From there, the family line continued through several prominent figures. The Earl’s son went on to father Lord Darnley, who married Mary, Queen of Scots. Their son later became King James I of England, linking the lineage directly to the Stuart dynasty and, eventually, the modern House of Windsor.

Another branch of the family tree followed a different path through Scottish nobility. The Earl’s daughter, Lady Helen, married into the Sutherland family, and their descendants later connected with the Clan Mackay. One of their successors, Donald Mackay -- later the 1st Lord Reay -- was known as a strong royalist who supported King Charles I during the English Civil War.

Generations later, the lineage passes through the MacLeod family to Mary Anne MacLeod, who emigrated from Scotland to the United States in 1930. She later married Fred Trump, and their son, Donald Trump, was born in 1946. From there, the Trump family story began its American chapter.

TRUMP RESPONDS WITH HUMOUR

Staying true to form, Trump took to Truth Social to share his reaction. "Wow, that’s nice. I’ve always wanted to live in Buckingham Palace!!! I’ll talk to the King and Queen about this in a few minutes!!!" he wrote.

The US President has previously spoken about Britain’s royal family. He has described King Charles as "a great guy" and "a fighter", while also recalling his positive interactions with the late Queen Elizabeth II.

"I had a really good relationship with her. She was unbelievable. I liked her and she liked me," Trump once said, reflecting on his meetings with the Queen.

KING CHARLES ARRIVES IN US FOR STATE VISIT

The timing added an extra layer of intrigue.

King Charles and Queen Camilla are currently on a state visit to the United States. Trump recently hosted the royal couple at the White House, where they attended engagements including a South Lawn event and meetings expected to focus on strengthening US-UK ties.

The King is also set to address Congress -- only the second British monarch to do so, after Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 -- where he is expected to highlight the enduring alliance between the two nations.

TRUMP SAYS HIS MOTHER HAD CRUSH ON KING CHARLES

Speaking from the podium at a ceremonial welcome at the White House, the US President was reflecting on his mother Mary Macleod Trump, who was born in Scotland in 1912.

"My mother, I just see it so clearly. ... I told the King that she loved the royal family and she loved the Queen, and any time the Queen was involved in the ceremony or anything, my mother would be glued to the television, and she’d say 'look, Donald, look how beautiful that is,'" Trump said.

"She really did love the family but I also remember her saying very clearly, 'Charles, look young Charles, he’s so cute,'" Trump continued. "My mother had a crush on Charles. Can you believe it, amazing how I wonder what she’s thinking right now?"

Trump has long spoken warmly about the British monarchy, particularly King Charles. “I have a great relationship with King Charles He’s a wonderful and brave man,” he said in a recent interview, reinforcing his public admiration for the royal family.

Interestingly, the report also highlights how deeply intertwined historical lineages can be. Trump’s ancestry, according to the findings, may also connect him to other European royal houses, including those of Scandinavia. This raises a curious angle in geopolitics. Trump has previously floated ideas involving Greenland, a territory linked to Denmark’s monarchy. If the reported lineage is accurate, it would mean both Trump and Denmark’s royal family share distant roots.

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