King Charles told actor he's related to Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration for Dracula: book
Actor Luke Evans wrote a memoir that was published this year, titled "Boy from the Valleys: My Unexpected Journey." In it, the 46-year-old wrote about being invited to a Prince's Trust gala dinner at The Savoy Hotel in London in 2014, where he met the former Prince Charles.
It was there that he learned the British royal was related to the real-life Dracula.
Evans recalled how the now-76-year-old gave him "a good, strong handshake" and asked what he was working on. At the time, the Welsh star had just finished filming "Dracula Untold," where he played Vlad Tepes III, also known as Vlad the Impaler. The 15th-century Romanian warlord inspired the 1897 novel "Dracula" by Bram Stoker about the vampire Count Dracula.
Evans wrote that upon hearing this, the king's "eyes lit up," as quoted by People. According to the outlet, Charles said, "I'll tell you an interesting story. I'm actually related to Vlad Tepes."
"To my astonishment, he then proceeded to talk me through his entire lineage, all the way back to the 1400s," Evans recalled, as quoted by the outlet. "He told me he now owns a number of properties in Romania, where Vlad was ruler."
Evans told Charles it was "the most incredible story." The king replied, "Yes, and not a lot of people know it." He then smiled and walked away.
"I noticed he had stayed a little longer with me than he had with other guests, probably because we had this fascinating thing to talk about," Evans wrote.
The Prince's Trust, now called the King's Trust, was founded by the monarch in 1976. The charity's goal is to help disadvantaged youth in the U.K. Evans served as an ambassador.
Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital that Charles' love for Romania runs deep in his veins.
"We first discovered Vlad the Impaler's connection to Charles when we explored the bloodline of Prince George after he was born [in 2013]," Turner explained, referring to the monarch's grandson. "Charles still visits his holiday home in Romania each year."
"Perhaps all those wishing to oppose or suppress his wishes should have second thoughts, fearing his ancestral blood," Turner joked.
WATCH: 'DRACULA' STAR BELA LUGOSI 'EXAGGERATED' HIS DRUG ADDICTION: AUTHOR
British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that Charles loves to share the fun fact about his heritage.
"Even Romanian officials have publicly acknowledged this by jesting he's the 'Prince of Transylvania,'" she shared. "The king has an affection for rural Transylvania, in particular, where he has property holdings."
In 2023, the king declared his "love" for and "deep connection" to Romania when he attended a reception at Cotroceni Palace to celebrate his close ties to the nation, The Telegraph reported. The outlet noted that it marked his first trip abroad since being crowned king that year.
Romania remains one of Charles' favorite countries where he could seek refuge and privacy. According to the outlet, he owns at least 10 properties in the country and makes an annual trip to hike and paint. His countryside home has no Wi-Fi, TV or radio, allowing him to completely disconnect.
The outlet noted that there is a "small hi-fi player with CDs" in the drawing room.
In 2017, the mayor of the city of Alba Iulia claimed they invited Charles to accept the honorary title of Prince of Transylvania. Fox News Digital reached out to see if the offer still stands for the monarch.
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