London: Prince William, second-in-line to the throne, will be first British king with proven Indian ancestry, DNA analysis has revealed. The DNA analysis of saliva samples taken from the Duke of Cambridges relatives have established a direct lineage between the 30-year-old prince and an Indian housekeeper on his mother Princess Dianas side.
It is his only non-European DNA and means he will become the first Head of the Commonwealth with a clear genetic link to its most populous nation – India. William is now likely to be encouraged to make his debut mission to India soon after the birth of his baby next month. Researchers have uncovered the details of his lineage via a doomed relationship of Williams Indian great-great-great-great-great grandmother.
Eliza Kewark was housekeeper to Prince Williams great grandfather Theodore Forbes (1788-1820), a Scottish merchant who worked for the East India Company in the port town of Surat in Gujarat. Elizas mt DNA was passed on by her daughters and granddaughters directly in an unbroken line to Princess Diana and then on to Prince William and Prince Harry. The revelation explains why the Scottish father of Elizas children suddenly deserted her and sent their daughter, Katherine, to Britain at the age of six.
