Royal Family: Was Tragic David Pleydell-Bouverie Really The Queen’s Cousin?

There’s an intersting story from 1999 about the British royal family that still lingers in Zimbabwe to this day. During a recent discussion with local residents, the death of David Pleydell-Bouverie arose. While it was a tragic story, he wasn’t, as proposed by some small tabloids at the time, a direct cousin of Queen Elizabeth.

What Happened?

Mainstream outlets like The Independent and The Guardian got the story right, and explained that David was in fact “the nephew of the Earl of Radnor.” Well, rumors persist to this day, that he was a cousin of Queen Elizabeth, and in a very distant way, there was a connection.

When he died, David Pleydell-Bouverie, aged just 19, was learning about guiding visitors to the Zambezi Valley. Out with a group of probably extremely traumatized people, he died after an injured lion appeared in his tent. Fleeing from the lion, he was attacked and later, partly eaten by a pride of 11 of the animals. 

The ‘Royal Connection’

The terrible death happened in Zimbabwe on the shores of Lake Kariba in the Matusadona Wilderness area. Reportedly, the young aristocrat had taken a gap year prior to starting “a history degree at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in October.”

At the time, The Guardian confirmed that his dad was the “Sheriff of Hertfordshire.” Even in far away Zimbabwe, folks knew that a High Sheriff is the Monarch’s judicial representative in the county. So for outside observers, it’s easy to understand why the term “royal” became attached to the unfortunate young David.

The Real Bloodline

The real connection to the Royal Family exists, but really it’s not at all a close one. While the Pleydell-Bouverie lineage is distinguished in British Peerage, it runs parallel to the Windsor line rather than intersecting it.

Over time, the family was connected to the monarchy in the form of Treasurers of the Household and Keepers of the Privy Seal. Notably, an ancestor in 1795 was made “a Fellow of the Royal Society,” which could have added to the confusion. That snippet comes from Kids Kiddle. 

Actually, King Charles, his mom, and other members of The Firm do share common ancestors, but in fact they are so distant as to be not really worth even mentioning. The connection traces back to the 17th century through illegitimate lines of King Charles II, per research on WikiTree.

A Cousin In Name Only?

It turns out that David was as much a “cousin” to the Queen as any other member of the high-ranking nobility. Really, his bloodline made him a cousin in name only. Dig deep enough, heck maybe you could be a distant cousin of the British Royal Family, or anyone else, come to think of it.

Perhaps the “Queen’s Cousin” stories that abounded in Africa were merely a way to link a tragic wildlife accident to a high-society scandal. While it’s not significant today, it seems rather interesting that in a place far from the UK, stories and rumors persist about young David.

Did you know that David Pleydell-Bouverie ended his life on the shores of Lake Kariba in 1999? Did you ever hear a rumor that he was related to Queen Elizabeth? Let us know in the comments below, and come back here often for all your royal family news and updates.