How Sharon Stone, 66, Was Left Absolutely STUNNED as She Uncovered Unbelievable Royal Ancestry
Sharon Stone discovered her shocking royal roots.
Jan. 29 2025, Published 1:52 p.m. ET
Actress Sharon Stone was left speechless after doing a deep dive into her ancestry.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the Basic Instinct star's mind was "completely blown" upon learning she had royal blood – and was related to one of the most important historical figures.
Stone, 66, traced her family tree on the PBS series Finding Your Roots.
Stone traced her ancestry on PBS' 'Finding Your Roots.'
The 66-year-old sat down with host Henry Louis Gates Jr. to discuss her ancestral findings.
Stone was baffled when Gates Jr. told her: "Charlemagne (the former king who transformed Europe) is your 38th great-grandfather. The first holy Roman Emperor. He was a mean dude.
"Charlemagne (the former king who transformed Europe) is your 38th great-grandfather. The first holy Roman Emperor. He was a mean dude."
The actress was shocked to discover she's related to the Charlemagne, also known as the 'Father of Europe.'
Stone, who wore a cream blazer, pink transparent aviator glasses, and a gold statement necklace, was visibly shaken by the information.
Her mouth dropped open before she replied: "If you want to see someone completely stunned, look at my face."
Charlemagne reigned as the King of Franks, current-day France, from 768 AD until his death in 814.
Under this rule, Charlemagne shaped medieval Europe, conquered Saxony, and enforced the conversion to Christianity across the region.
Stone was overcome with emotion and said she was 'completely stunned' by the findings.
The actress' 38th great-grandfather also invaded the Kingdom of Lombards, which is present-day Italy and northern Spain.
Pope Leo III declared Charlemagne emperor of the Romans in 800 AD after he helped calm a rebellion. The title ultimately legitimized his rule over Italian territories.
In addition to his military campaigns, Charlemagne was instrumental in installing administrative reforms throughout Europe, including commerce standards for weights, measures, and customs.
His influential reign earned him the nickname "Father of Europe."
He wasn't Stone's only notable ancestor, though.
The Casino star also discovered her 31st great-grandfather was Hugh Capet, a successor of Charlemagne who turned Paris into an economic powerhouse.
Grant said of Stone's lineage: "Sharon's family tree is dripping with history. Her third great-grandfather emigrated to Pennsylvania from England, became a coal miner, then served heroically in the Civil War, fighting in several major battles.
"When she learned that, she burst into tears. She learned that she descends from two French kings on her father's side, and her 31st great-grandfather, Hugh Capet, was the man who made Paris the center of power in France."
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Stone also found out she had ancestors who fought in the Revolutionary and Civil wars.
Grant continued: "Charlemagne, who was the founder of modern Europe, was her 38th great-grandfather. She just was flabbergasted, and so honored. I think she has a Revolutionary War ancestor too."
While Stone's family tree was impressive, she's not the only celebrity with ties to Charlemagne. Richard Branson discovered he is a descendant of the "Father of Europe" in 2016.
But Professor Adam Rutherford revealed the shocking tidbit is more common than people think.
While speaking at the Chalke Valley History Festival in 2017, he explained: "Literally every person in Europe is directly descended from Charlemagne. Literally, not metaphorically. You have a direct lineage which leads to Charlemagne.
"Looking around this room, every single one of you... is directly descended between 21 and 24 generations from Edward III."
