Photo: Mark Jones
I see that many Americans are excited by the upcoming royal wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. I have even heard suggestions that Meghan will be the “first mixed-race princess” in England.
This is, of course, nonsense. Technically, Queen Elizabeth II is herself “mixed-race.” Among other things, she is descended from Zaida of Seville (1070–1100), an Arab princess (daughter to Al-Mu’tamid ibn Abbad). Zaida fled Seville after the savage Almoravid takeover, taking refuge with King Alfonso VI of Castile. Zaida converted to Christianity, took the name Isabella, and became the mistress (and later wife) of King Alfonso. Queen Elizabeth II is her descendant:
- Zaida / Isabella (1070–1107) married Alfonso VI of León and Castile
- daughter Sancha married Rodrigo González de Lara
- son Rodrigo Rodriguez de Lara (1123–)
- daughter Sancha Rodriguez de Lara married Gonzalo Rodríguez Girón
- daughter Aldonza González Girón married Ramiro Fróilaz de Cifontes
- daughter Aldonza Ramirezde Cifontes married Fernan Gonzales de Henestrosa
- daughter Maria Fernández de Henestrosa (1284–1361) married Juan García de Padilla, 1st Lord of Villagera
- daughter María de Padilla (1334–1361) mistress of Peter of Castile
- daughter Isabella of Castile (1355–1394) married Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York
- son Richard of Conisburgh, 3rd Earl of Cambridge (1375–1415)
- son Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York (1411–1460)
- son Edward IV (1442–1483)
- daughter Elizabeth of York (1466–1503) married Henry VII
- daughter Margaret Tudor (1489–1541) married James IV of Scotland
- son James V of Scotland (1512–1542)
- daughter Mary, Queen of Scots (1542–1587)
- son James VI and I (1566–1625)
- daughter Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia (1596–1662)
- daughter Sophia of Hanover (1630–1714)
- son George I (1660–1727)
- son George II (1683–1760)
- son Frederick, Prince of Wales (1707–1751)
- son George III (1738–1820)
- son Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn (1767–1820)
- daughter Queen Victoria (1819–1901)
- son Edward VII (1841–1910)
- son George V (1865–1936)
- son George VI (1895–1952)
- daughter Elizabeth II (1926–)
Scientific Gems 