By Molly Claire Goddard
3:18pm PST, Mar 4, 2026
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According to
HELLO!, Maggie Gyllenhaal and
Jake Gyllenhaal are the 19th cousins of
Queen Elizabeth II, directly linking them to
Prince William. The Gyllenhaals and the British royal family are both descended from
King Edward III.
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Maggie Gyllenhaal and
Jake Gyllenhaal's relatives are a Swedish noble family. The two actors are the offspring of
Stephen Gyllenhaal, the great-grandson of Swedish-American journalist
Anders Leonard Gyllenhaal.
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While
Prince William may be related to the Hollywood elite, he plays only a small role in the film industry. The Prince of Wales has been the President of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts [BAFTA] since 2010. William's role promotes charity work and supports English talent.
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Both
Prince William and
Kate Middleton attended the 2026 BAFTAs, where the Princess of Wales raved about the movie
Hamnet. "It was so beautifully shot. The music as well. The score is fantastic," she said in a video shared to
X.
