Princess Di’s ancestor threw out his Indian-blood wife
14 Jun 2013
The Indian origins of Prince William, next in line for the British throne after his father Prince Charles, and William's brother Harry go back to their great-great-great-great-great grandmother Eliza Kewark, researchers connected with the University of Edinburgh revealed today.
Kewark was married to Scotsman Theodore Forbes, who left his wife – perhaps on racial concerns – and sent their daughter, Katherine, to live in Britain at the age of six.
Letters sent from Kewark to her estranged husband were discovered by the researchers. In these, she begged to be able to see her children again.
The communications suggest that Forbes turned his back on his wife – he referred to her as his 'housekeeper' in his will, read after he died returning to Britain on a ship in 1820.
He also described her as the 'purported mother' of Katherine.
Apropos of nothing, better men than Forbes have married their housekeepers – notably Henry Fielding, the author of the classic 'Tom Jones'.
