King Charles revealed his fascinating ancestral connection to the notorious 15th-century Romanian ruler Vlad the Impaler in an "incredible" discussion.
Actor Luke Evans told all about his enlightening encounter with the then-Prince Charles during a charity event.
Evans recalled the moment from 2014 when he chatted with Charles in his newly published memoirs.
The encounter occurred at The Savoy Hotel in London, where Evans attended after being appointed ambassador for what is now known as The King's Trust, a charity established by Charles in 1976 to assist disadvantaged British youth.
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|King Charles revealed his ancestral connection to the infamous Vlad the Impaler
During their first meeting, the monarch approached Evans with what the actor described as "a good, strong handshake" before enquiring about his current projects.
Evans had recently completed filming Dracula Untold, portraying Vlad Tepes III, the medieval Romanian warlord better known as Vlad the Impaler or Vlad Dracula, who also inspired Bram Stoker's legendary horror villain of the same name.
Upon hearing the news, Charles's "eyes lit up", according to Evans' memoir, prompting the royal to share his remarkable family connection.
"I'll tell you an interesting story. I'm actually related to Vlad Tepes," the King revealed to the astonished actor.
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|Charles explained his fascinating link to actor Luke Evans at a charity event in 2014
The monarch subsequently detailed his complete ancestry stretching to the 1400s, as Evans wrote: "To my astonishment, he then proceeded to talk me through his entire lineage."
Charles additionally disclosed his ownership of multiple estates in Romania, the nation once governed by Vlad, and its famous region of Transylvania.
When Evans expressed his amazement at this "most incredible story", the King responded: "Yes, and not a lot of people know it," before continuing his rounds with a smile.
The actor observed that Charles lingered with him longer than other attendees, attributing this to their "fascinating" topic of discussion.
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|During the 'incredible' chat, the King recalled his ancestry dating back to the 1400s
Evans reflected on the monarch's genuine engagement, writing: "Charles makes you feel as if he's genuinely interested in what you have to say, which is remarkable when you consider he has to do this several times a day."
The actor noted his expectation that such frequent interactions might render someone "robotic, just going through the motions".
However, the actor celebrated Charles as someone who "really seems to engage".
This wasn't Charles's first public acknowledgement of his Transylvanian heritage - he previously declared in a 2011 television programme: "The genealogy shows that I am descended from Vlad the Impaler."
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|Charles still has several properties in Romanian, the region Vlad the Impaler once ruled
While short of the impaling that earned Vlad his grisly moniker, the King's apparently stringent demands of his gardeners have recently led to a walkout of workers at his family residence, Highgrove.
A number of "overwhelmed and underpaid" gardeners have now quit, according to a new report in The Sunday Times.
Of 12 full-time gardeners employed in 2022, 11 have departed, including two heads of gardens and a deputy head gardener who left within a year.
Charles is thought to maintain control through morning walkabouts where he issues instructions to be written up and acted upon before his next return.
He is said to send detailed notes in "thick red ink" to garden staff, with memos that are "strikingly specific and emotional".