To many, Bob Odenkirk is already a king. But now, after an appearance on the PBS show Finding Your Roots, Odenkirk has learned that he’s not just entertainment royalty, but actual royalty, and he has a pretty powerful cousin: King Charles III.
In a new episode of Finding Your Roots set to air on Tuesday, Odenkirk and host Henry Louis Gates Jr. sift through the Better Call Saul star’s family tree, revealing his fifth great-grandfather: Friedrich Carl Steinholz, the son of the Duke of Plön, born in Germany in 1755. Through his father, Steinholz was related to the web of European royal families, prompting Gates to ask Odenkirk how it felt to be a descendant of royals.
“[It makes me feel] like a part of history that I didn’t think I was any part of,” Odenkirk answered, before expressing his disdain for monarchies. “I’m an American. I’m not a monarchist. I don’t believe in that. You know, I feel like it’s a little twisted.”
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Odenkirk continued. “I understand why society built itself around monarchs and leaders, and they passed them down through generations,” he said. “I understand that goes through every society, every civilization. But I think that we’ve gotten to a better place with democracy and we should keep going down that road.”
Then, Gates made the reveal: because of his relation to the Duke of Plön, Odenkirk and King Charles III are 11th cousins. Stunned, Odenkirk replied with a hearty laugh, and said “Well, maybe I’ll change my mind!”
Reflecting further, Odenkirk commented: “Oh, that is crazy. I never even thought about that! Of course that’s true, right? ‘Cause all these [royal] families are related.” Gates replied with a laugh, saying “Yeah, because all they did was marry each other.” Watch a clip of the regal revelation below.
The full episode of Finding Your Roots will air on PBS this Tuesday, January 30th, at 8:00 p.m.
Other than possibly landing himself an invite to Charles III’s next party, Odenkirk’s recent activity includes an appearance on Season 2 of The Bear, as well as portraying Tommy Wiseau in the upcoming remake of The Room.
Meanwhile, if you agree with the likes of Odenkirk, Adele, Ed Sheeran, Robert Smith, and more that monarchy isn’t a good look, be sure to check out Consequence’s rundown of 10 anti-coronation songs that give the finger to the royals.
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