Heir Grylls! Survivalist Bear Grylls uncovers genetic link to warrior king Robert the Bruce and reveals his delight saying he has ‘always loved Braveheart and Scotland’
- The London-born adventurer told Radio Times ‘I have always loved Braveheart’
As a survivalist and former SAS reservist, he has often relied upon his fighting spirit.
Now Bear Grylls has learned he may have inherited it directly from Scotland’s warrior king.
The former territorial SAS soldier uncovered a genetic link to Robert the Bruce during filming for the BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are?
The adventurer, 48, told of his delight at the discovery, which placed him as a direct relation of several generations of Scottish nobility.
London-born Grylls has a long-standing affection for the country, as it is where he first met his wife Shara, so was thrilled to discover he has Scottish blood coursing through his veins.
Survivalist and former SAS reservist Bear Grylls has learned he may have inherited his fighting spirit directly from Scotland’s warrior king
The adventurer, 48, has Scottish blood coursing through his veins and is a descendant of Robert the Bruce
He told the Radio Times: ‘I have always loved Braveheart and I have always loved Scotland. As soon as I was told we were going to Scotland, I thought that was awesome because it’s where my heart has always been.’
Grylls is linked to Scotland on his mothers’ side, where he is a direct descendant of the iconic Scots monarch.
While he is most famous for defeating Edward II at Bannockburn, Robert the Bruce loved the natural world, much like Grylls.
The TV presenter said: ‘He was an inspirational leader who spent time in the great outdoors, he came back transformed and renewed. It was epic for me to follow that, and to understand a connecting spirit through our lives.’
The show also revealed that Grylls is related to Archibald Campbell, First Marquess of Argyll. The marquess was beheaded in 1661 for his support of Oliver Cromwell and resistance to religious changes brought in by Charles I.
As a committed Christian, Grylls said he was proud to be related to such strong leaders who prioritised their faith.
He told the Radio Times: ‘I have always loved Braveheart and I have always loved Scotland. As soon as I was told we were going to Scotland, I thought that was awesome because it’s where my heart has always been’
But long before he discovered his ancestry, Grylls had already begun to embrace his Scottish heritage and took to adopting a kilt while out on runs.
He said: ‘I love wearing a kilt at home. My sons always laugh at me because I love to wear a kilt when I go out with the dogs.’
He even revealed he wears the garment like a true Scotsman, ‘Everything feels free,’ he added.
Grylls’s discovery comes after scientists revealed actress Tilda Swinton is also related to Robert the Bruce, who was her grand-father, 19 generations removed.
Source: Read Full Article
