The star of the popular TV series unexpectedly turned out to be the brother of the British king

Actor Bob Odenkirk suddenly discovered family ties with the monarch

The star of the cult series “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul” Bob Odenkirk discovered that he is a relative of the British King Charles III.

The actor, best known for his role as lawyer Saul Goodman, was told on an American TV show that he is 11th cousin of the British monarch

There’s very little regal about Saul Goodman, the character best known for Bob Odenkirk’s roles, The Guardian writes. But despite the fact that the actor became famous for his role as a slippery, con-loving lawyer in Breaking Bad and its prequel Better Call Saul, it became known that he is related to the royal family.

Genealogy-based American television show Finding Your Roots traced Odenkirk’s family history through five generations and discovered that he is the eleventh cousin of King Charles III.

Although his family is originally from Chicago, the show’s ancestry experts will reveal that the actor’s fifth great-grandfather, Friedrich Carl Steinholz, was born in Plön (in modern-day Germany) in 1755. Host Henry Louis Gates Jr. told Bob Odenkirk that Steinholz was conceived out of wedlock by the Duke of Plen, who was related to the royal families of Europe through intermarriage. And at first, Bob Odenkirk is not impressed.

“It makes me feel like I’m a part of history that I didn’t think I was a part of, but I’m an American. I’m not a monarchist. “I don’t believe it,” Odenkirk said. “You know, I feel like it’s a little perverted.” I understand why society built itself around monarchs and leaders, and they passed them down from generation to generation. I understand that this is inherent in every society, every civilization. But I think we have become better with democracy and we must continue on this path.”

However, Odenkirk took a slightly different approach when he was informed of his family ties to the British king – and immediately burst out laughing.

“Well, maybe I’ll change my mind about this! – he exclaims. – It’s so funny, man. Oh, this is crazy!” In other clips from the show, which aired on January 30 on PBS in the US, Odenkirk laughs and states: “Are you kidding me? This is crazy!” and also states that he wishes his mother could hear the news.

According to The Guardian, Bob Odenkirk grew up in the Chicago area, the second eldest of seven siblings born to Walter Odenkirk and Barbara Mary, Catholics of German and Irish descent. In 2021, he collapsed from a heart attack on the set of Better Call Saul and survived only thanks to his colleagues who resuscitated him.