by John Choate

The a 1st pedigree lists a Scot, Malcolm MacLeod [GMB3-28F] as 14th Cousin 1 time removed of  the late Grand Duke Jean [G8ZW-K6N](born 1921 and died 2019, reigned 1964, until he abdicated in 2000).  

This column is a series about the hobby of family history using  familysearch.org and relativefinder.org. Most anyone can conveniently pinpoint known relationships with prominent  founding fathers, celebrities, and religious leaders. English and Scottish descendants may connect with some 700 people in the data base, if their pedigrees are in Family Search. As of 2024, Family search has 1.67 billion searchable people, with 530 million sources to increase accuracy.  Because Donald John Trump Sr’s ancestors  have many descendants, he has cousins by the dozens. The family trees come from familysearch.org.  Let’s review the Swedish Royal lines.

Since the records go back many centuries, many of the names have had whole books of biographies recording their stories. Many biographies  are featured in the Dictionary of National Biography. The seven character code in brackets [ ]  after a person’s name is the code to find them in FamilySearch.org.  The country is Sweden and the people are Swedes

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is in western Europe, between Germany on its east, and Belgium on its west, and France on the South and West. Luxembourg is about 35 miles smaller than Rhode Island. Luxembourg  was formed in the 11th century within the Holy Roman Empire, peeking when its ruler Henry 7th became the Holy Roman emperor in 1312. Thereupon the Habsburgs ruled in the 15th century. Eventually Luxembourg, during sieges with French King Louis 14th,  was fortified as a Fortress and nicknamed the Gibraltar of the North. and then annexed by France in French Revolution of 1795.  After the Napoleonic wars, Luxembourg was restored and became independent in 1867, after a war between France and Prussia over Luxembourg’s status. The Luxembourg crisis was resolved by the 1867 Treaty of London .

 Luxembourg was an original 12 member NATO founder in 1949.  The full title of the head man is By the Grace of God, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Duke of Nassau, Count Palatine of theRhine, Count of Sayn, Konigsten, Katzenelnbogen and Diez, Burgrave of Hammerstein, Lord of Mahlberg, Wiesbaden, Idstein, Merenberg, Limburg and Eppsten.

Earl Sinclair was Lord High Chancellor of Scotland between 1454 and 1458 AD. The Lord High Chancellor  was a peer and the principal Great Officer of State, the presiding officer of the Parliament of Scotland, the Keeper of the Great Seal, presiding officer of the Privy Council, and a judge of the College of Justice.  Sinclair’s other titles were 3rd Earl of Orkney (last), 1st Earl of Caithness, 2nd Lord Sinclair, 11th Baron of Roslin.

The 2nd pedigree lists Malcolm MacLeod [GMB3-28F] as the 12th cousin 2 times removed of Louis Philippe, and  13th cousin of Leopold 3rd. is also a 11th great grandson of the same William Sinclair LCCN-H49] in the 1st pedigree.  This also shows the relationship to King Edward 7th of the United Kingdom.

The 3rd pedigree lists Malcolm MacLeod [GMB3-28F] as the 14th cousin 1 time removed of Prince Oscar Carl Wilhelm Bernadotte (1861-1951) of Sweden [LHMQ-DVF]. Prince Carl is a 14th great grandson of the same William Sinclair LCCN-H49].   Prince Carl is ancestor of the Grand Ducal family of Luxembourg, and Belgian and Norwegian royal families.  Prince Carl’s father was King Oskar II, and Prince Carl’s brother was King Gustaf V.

The present Grand Duke of Luxembourg of Guillaume V, born 1981 reign since 2025.

Guillaume V is son of Henri (born 1955, reign from 2000 abdicated 2025). 

Son of Grand Duke Jean [G8ZW-K6N](born 1921 and died 2019, reigned from 1964, until he abdicated in 2000).  And son of Jean’s  Spouse Princess Josephine-Charlotte of Belgium [G36G-8C1] (1827-2005), daughter of King of the Belgians Leopold III [LT8P-PMG] (1901-1983) and Leopold’s Queen Astrid Sofia Lovisa Thyra Bernadotte [2H27-S9R] (1905-1935). Queen Astrid was a daughter of Prince Carl [LHMQ-DVF] (1861-1951) of Sweden, noted in the 3rd pedigree. Prince Carl was a son of King Oskar II Fredrik Bernadotte (1829-1907 reign 1872-1907)[ [LT9D-2TT][1]

[1] https://www.kungahuset.se/english/the-monarchy-of-sweden

The 4th pedigree lists Malcolm MacLeod [GMB3-28F] as the 14th cousin 1 time removed of Roberto 1 of Parma  [LRZC-WT3].

Grand Duke Jean was Son of Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg [9SDZ-KYD] (born 1896 died 1985, reign 1919 abdicated 1964) married Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma,[ LCCF-MXD] 1893-1970  of the Duchy of Parma. Prince Felix was the son of Roberto I, Duca di Parma (1848-1907)

Grand Duchess Charlotte was Daughter of Grand Duke Guillaume IV [G3CH-M16] (born 1852, reign 1905 until his death 1912).

Guillaume IV was Son of Grand Duke Adolphe (born 1817, reign 1890, died 1905) [LCCF-MHM] Duke of Nassau branch of Nassau-Weilburg. Grand Duke Adolf Wilhelm August Karl Friedrich Of LuxembourgGrand Duke Of Russia.

Grand Duke Adolphe was Son of Herzog Wilhelm I von Nassau [LHZK-ZYW] (born 1792-1839) and Princess Charlotte Luise Friederike Amalie Alexandrine von Sachsen-Hildburghausen [GWVF-DTJ] (1794-1825). Adolphe’s spouse Grand Duchess Elizaveta Mikhailovna Romanova [L48B-P5F] (1826-1845).

 Herzog Wilhelm 1 was Son of Furst Friedrich Wilhelm von Nassau-Weilburg [ L87L-QKX] (1768-1816)

Coming full circle, Malcolm MacLeod [GMB3-28F] who is a 13th great grandson, along Grand Duchess Charlotte G3CH-M16]. Grand Duke Jean [9SDZ-KYD]   is  14th great grand son of William Sinclair [LCCN-H49].  Malcolm’s daughter Mary Anne Trump nee MacLeod [KL59-Z9K]  is 15th cousin to Grand Duke Henri.  Fred Trump Jr. [L5XX-XDH] is a 16th  cousin of Grand Duke of Luxembourg of Guillaume V.   Donald J Trump Junior is 17th cousin to Princes Charles (b. 2020) and Francois (b. 2023).

Conclusion, the Luxembourg Royal family down to Grand Duke Jean is listed in Family Search.

Source of Luxembourg Royal Family.

https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a68131193/luxembourg-royal-family-tree-explained