The actress discovered her 38th great-grandfather was one of the most influential historical figures, Charlemagne.

“Charlemagne is your 38th great-grandfather,” Gates said to Stone. “The first Holy Roman Emperor. He was a mean dude.” Stone’s mouth gaped open in dismay as she slowly processed the ...

Sharon Stone was left 'completely stunned' by the revelation that she is descended from Charlemagne – the former king who transformed Europe. During her appearance on PBS's show 'Finding Your ...

Referred to as the "father of Europe," Charlemagne is one of the most important people in history, according to Gates. The King of the Franks was the first crowned emperor of the Holy Roman Empire ...

In a stunning revelation on PBS’s Finding Your Roots, Sharon Stone learned that royalty runs in her blood – and not just any royalty. The 66-year-old actress was visibly shocked when host Henry Louis ...

Join Tom and Dominic for this next instalment on the Franks and the rise of Charlemagne.

This is not only a crown; it is the echo of Charlemagne’s chapel in Aachen and reminiscent of imperial churches in Constantinople and Ravenna. The four enamel plaques show three Old Testament ...

During her appearance on the show, Stone got an impressive surprise when host Henry Louis Gates Jr. revealed that, not only is she related to European royalty, but she's related to none other than ...

named after the Frankish king Charlemagne, who united most of Western and Central Europe under the Holy Roman Empire in the 9th century. The Commission chief received the prize for “her services to ...

The prize is awarded annually by the German city of Aachen - where the Frankish king for whom it is named was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 800 - to honour "an outstanding personality of a united ...