Expert: Mark Smith - 12/18/2005

Question
-Thank you, Mark
Do you also know if there was a relationship connection through the Marlborough family?
Thanks
Mary
Followup To
Question -
Please could you tell me who was the common ancestor of Prince Charles and Princess Diana and how to trace the family tree of each until they meet. I have tried very hard to find the answer to this, but have had no success.
Answer -
Hello Mary.
Charles and Diana were related several times over through a variety of ancestors, both through the legitimate and illegitimate lines.
The closest relationship between them was 7th cousins once removed through their mutual ancestor William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire who died in 1755. Prince Charles is his great X 6 grandson while Lady Diana was his great X 7 grandaughter.
The line for Prince Charles is as follows :

William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire, d. 1755, father of
William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, d. 1764, father of
Lady Dorothy Cavendish, d. 1794, mother of
Lord William Cavendish-Bentinck, d. 1826, father of
Charles Cavendish-Bentinck, d. 1865, father of
Nina Cavendish-Bentinck, d. 1938, mother of
Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, d. 2002, mother of
Queen Elizabeth II, mother of
Charles, Prince of Wales.


The line for Diana, Princess of Wales is as follows :

William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire, d. 1755, father of
Lady Elizabeth Cavendish, d. 1796, mother of
William Ponsonby, 1st Baron Ponsonby, d. 1806, father of
Mary Ponsonby, d. 1861, mother of
Lady Elizabeth Grey, d. 1880, mother of
Louisa Bulteel, d. 1892, mother of
Mary Baring, d. 1906, mother of
Albert Spencer, 7th Earl Spencer, d. 1975, father of
Edward Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer, d. 1992, father of
Lady Diana Spencer, d. 1997.

As you can see it's rather complicated and there are several other lines, but this is the one that illustrates the closest relationship between them.
Mark  

Answer
Hello Mary.
Yes there is, but I don't know exactly how. Diana was certainly descended from Arabella Churchill, who died in 1730, the sister of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough. But this line of descent is through one of the several illegitimate lines. I believe Prince Charles is also descended from Arabella, but I haven't been able to definately trace the link. It will be through one of Arabella's four illegitimate children by James II.  
Mark