Actor Benedict Cumberbatch is as closely related to Richard III as the Queen, a genealogist has claimed. Professor Kevin Schurer has revealed Cumberbatch and the 15th century monarch are third cousins, 16 times removed, as the Sherlock star prepares to play the king in a new BBC series. The Pro-Vice Chancellor at the University of Leicester traced the line of descent, originating from Edward III - Richard III's great great grandfather, all the way to Cumberbatch. This is not the first time the actor's ancestry has revealed surprising parallels with his roles, as genealogists claimed he was related to codebreaker Alan Turing, who he played in 'The Imitation Game'. Scroll down for video . Actor Benedict Cumberbatch is as closely related to Richard III as the Queen, a genealogist has claimed . Professor Kevin Schurer has revealed Cumberbatch and the 15th century monarch (right) are third cousins, 16 times removed . It is estimated that between one million and 17 million people in the UK are connected in some way to the monarch whose remains were discovered buried beneath a  car park in Leicester in 2012. But Prof Schurer said: 'He (Cumberbatch) is more direct because he is a third cousin. Most other relatives would be much lower order cousins. 'I think the Queen would be a third cousin several times removed as well.' The 38-year-old Sherlock actor will star as the English king in BBC's The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses, an adaptation of four of Shakespeare's historical plays. Cumberbatch family genealogist, Bob Cumberbatch, said: 'Personally, I think it's fabulous. 'My colleague Andrew Millard estimates that there is a probability greater than 99 per cent that a modern English person is descended from Edward III. The 38-year-old Sherlock actor will star as the English king in BBC's The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses, an adaptation of four of Shakespeare's historical plays . 'However, he adds that finding documentary evidence of this connection is a completely different matter. 'Miriam Silverman, of Ancestry UK, discovered a connection between Benedict and Alan Turing and now the Leicester team have extended this to reveal a connection to Richard III. 'If Andrew Millard's conclusions are right then it seems highly probable that Benedict may indeed be related to many characters he has played and will play in future with some exceptions such as Sherlock.' Richard was killed at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 - ending the Wars of the Roses and the Plantagenet dynasty. His body was taken to Leicester by supporters of the victorious Henry VII and buried in Greyfriars church. In February 2013 a skeleton discovered beneath a Leicester car park was confirmed as that of the English king. Cumberbatch is believed to be as closely related to Richard III (right) as the Queen . In February 2013 a skeleton discovered beneath a Leicester car park was confirmed as that of the English king . The spot (circled in red) where archaeologists found the remains of the 15th century monarch . He is set to be reburied in March and thousands of people from around the world have applied for tickets for the ceremony. Professor Schurer, who played a key role in identifying Richard's modern day relations, published a paper  showing there was a 99.999 per cent probability that the remains were those of the king. Cumberbatch also shares a common 15th century ancestor, John Beaufort, the Earl of Somerset, with Second World War codebreaker Alan Turing, making them 17th cousins. Turing helped alter the course of the war after he created a machine that allowed the Allies to read secret German messages. The star, who won plaudits for playing a slave owner in 12 Years A Slave last year, is also descended from a long line of slave owners in Barbados. Earlier this year, a New York City commissioner, Stacey Cumberbatch, claimed she gained her distinctive surname because her ancestors were owned by the star's fifth great-grandfather on a sugar plantation. Cumberbatch once said his part in another anti-slavery film – Amazing Grace – was a sort of apology' for his ancestry. He also revealed that his mother, the actress Wanda Ventham, once urged him not to use his real surname professionally in case it made him a target for reparation claims by the descendants of slaves. A plastic facial model made from the skull of England's King Richard III . Richard was born on in 1452 at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire. During the War of the Roses, Richard's father, Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York was killed and in 1470, Richard and his brother Edward were exiled when Henry VI, from the rival house of Lancaster, took back the throne. Henry's reign was short lived and during a battle the following year, Edward became king. In 1483, Edward died and Richard was named as protector of the realm for Edward's son and successor, the 12-year-old Edward V. Edward V and his brother Richard were placed in the Tower of London and after a campaign to condemn the deceased king's marriage to Elizabeth Woodville, the princes were declared illegitimate. Richard III took to the throne the following day. He was crowned in July and in August that year, the two princes disappeared, Rumours claimed the king had killed them to remove any threat they may have posed to his reign. In 1485, Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond launched an attack on Richard III on Bosworth Field in Leicestershire. Many of Richard III's key lieutenants defected and he was killed in battle. Henry Tudor took the throne as Henry VII. It has been confirmed that Richard III had a curvature of the spine, although rumours of a withered arm haven't been verfied form the bones found in the Leicester car park last year. Last year scientists discovered the king was riddled with roundworm after finding large numbers of the parasite's eggs in soil taken from Richard III's pelvic region. The find suggests that the king's intestines were infected with roundworm during his life.
Benedict Cumberbatch and Richard III are third cousins, 16 times removed .
Actor is as closely related to former king as the Queen, it has been claimed .
Professor Kevin Schurer traced the line of descent from Edward III .
Sherlock star is preparing to play king in BBC series The Hollow Crown .
Actor Benedict Cumberbatch is as closely related to Richard III as the Queen, a genealogist has claimed. Professor Kevin Schurer has revealed Cumberbatch and the 15th century monarch are third cousins, 16 times removed, as the Sherlock star prepares to play the king in a new BBC series. The Pro-Vice Chancellor at the University of Leicester traced the line of descent, originating from Edward III - Richard III's great great grandfather, all the way to Cumberbatch. This is not the first time the actor's ancestry has revealed surprising parallels with his roles, as genealogists claimed he was related to codebreaker Alan Turing, who he played in 'The Imitation Game'. Scroll down for video . Actor Benedict Cumberbatch is as closely related to Richard III as the Queen, a genealogist has claimed . Professor Kevin Schurer has revealed Cumberbatch and the 15th century monarch (right) are third cousins, 16 times removed . It is estimated that between one million and 17 million people in the UK are connected in some way to the monarch whose remains were discovered buried beneath a  car park in Leicester in 2012. But Prof Schurer said: 'He (Cumberbatch) is more direct because he is a third cousin. Most other relatives would be much lower order cousins. 'I think the Queen would be a third cousin several times removed as well.' The 38-year-old Sherlock actor will star as the English king in BBC's The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses, an adaptation of four of Shakespeare's historical plays. Cumberbatch family genealogist, Bob Cumberbatch, said: 'Personally, I think it's fabulous. 'My colleague Andrew Millard estimates that there is a probability greater than 99 per cent that a modern English person is descended from Edward III. The 38-year-old Sherlock actor will star as the English king in BBC's The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses, an adaptation of four of Shakespeare's historical plays . 'However, he adds that finding documentary evidence of this connection is a completely different matter. 'Miriam Silverman, of Ancestry UK, discovered a connection between Benedict and Alan Turing and now the Leicester team have extended this to reveal a connection to Richard III. 'If Andrew Millard's conclusions are right then it seems highly probable that Benedict may indeed be related to many characters he has played and will play in future with some exceptions such as Sherlock.' Richard was killed at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 - ending the Wars of the Roses and the Plantagenet dynasty. His body was taken to Leicester by supporters of the victorious Henry VII and buried in Greyfriars church. In February 2013 a skeleton discovered beneath a Leicester car park was confirmed as that of the English king. Cumberbatch is believed to be as closely related to Richard III (right) as the Queen . In February 2013 a skeleton discovered beneath a Leicester car park was confirmed as that of the English king . The spot (circled in red) where archaeologists found the remains of the 15th century monarch . He is set to be reburied in March and thousands of people from around the world have applied for tickets for the ceremony. Professor Schurer, who played a key role in identifying Richard's modern day relations, published a paper  showing there was a 99.999 per cent probability that the remains were those of the king. Cumberbatch also shares a common 15th century ancestor, John Beaufort, the Earl of Somerset, with Second World War codebreaker Alan Turing, making them 17th cousins. Turing helped alter the course of the war after he created a machine that allowed the Allies to read secret German messages. The star, who won plaudits for playing a slave owner in 12 Years A Slave last year, is also descended from a long line of slave owners in Barbados. Earlier this year, a New York City commissioner, Stacey Cumberbatch, claimed she gained her distinctive surname because her ancestors were owned by the star's fifth great-grandfather on a sugar plantation. Cumberbatch once said his part in another anti-slavery film – Amazing Grace – was a sort of apology' for his ancestry. He also revealed that his mother, the actress Wanda Ventham, once urged him not to use his real surname professionally in case it made him a target for reparation claims by the descendants of slaves. A plastic facial model made from the skull of England's King Richard III . Richard was born on in 1452 at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire. During the War of the Roses, Richard's father, Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York was killed and in 1470, Richard and his brother Edward were exiled when Henry VI, from the rival house of Lancaster, took back the throne. Henry's reign was short lived and during a battle the following year, Edward became king. In 1483, Edward died and Richard was named as protector of the realm for Edward's son and successor, the 12-year-old Edward V. Edward V and his brother Richard were placed in the Tower of London and after a campaign to condemn the deceased king's marriage to Elizabeth Woodville, the princes were declared illegitimate. Richard III took to the throne the following day. He was crowned in July and in August that year, the two princes disappeared, Rumours claimed the king had killed them to remove any threat they may have posed to his reign. In 1485, Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond launched an attack on Richard III on Bosworth Field in Leicestershire. Many of Richard III's key lieutenants defected and he was killed in battle. Henry Tudor took the throne as Henry VII. It has been confirmed that Richard III had a curvature of the spine, although rumours of a withered arm haven't been verfied form the bones found in the Leicester car park last year. Last year scientists discovered the king was riddled with roundworm after finding large numbers of the parasite's eggs in soil taken from Richard III's pelvic region. The find suggests that the king's intestines were infected with roundworm during his life.
Actor Benedict Cumberbatch is as closely related claimed. Professor Kevin Schurer has revealed third cousins, 16 times removed, as the Sherlock star prepares to play the king in a new BBC of Leicester traced the line of descent, originating from Edward III - Richard III's great Benedict Cumberbatch is as closely related to Richard III as the Queen, a genealogist has