King Charles III is an actual descendant for the 'real-life' Count Dracula

King Charles III might be the ruling monarch of the UK, but his royal status isn't his only claim to fame.

Alongside his love of Romania, Charles is an actual descendent of Vlad the Impaler - the 15th century Wallachian ruler who is believed to have inspired Bram Stoker's literary vampire Count Dracula.

Also known as Vlad Dracula or Vlad III, the warlord's nickname was a result of his favourite method of execution.

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His vicious tendencies quickly became known in the 1400s when Vlad was a ruler of the region now known as Romania.

Legend has it that he once even used a forest of impaled corpses to shock and deter an invading army from attacking.

Whether he did definitely inspire Stoker's Dracula is still up for debate, but one thing we do know is Vlad the Impaler was one sick and violent man - and he's also the great-grandfather 16 times removed of King Charles III.

It's not all that surprising that they're related, given that the British royal family's bloodline is easily traced all over Europe - even the Queen and Prince Philip were third cousins.

But 73-year-old Charles has certainly played up to the link, even joking during a visit to Romania: "You could say I have a stake in the country."

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When he first stopped by in 1998, he said he was drawn in by the country's 'unique beauty' and 'extraordinary heritage'.

Since then, the king has gone on to frequent the little Transylvanian village of Viscri, where he bought and restored an 18th century cottage.

Previous statements suggest that it was during his initial trip in the 90s when he found out of his link to Vlad Dracula, a claim that appears to be backed up by a family tree outlined in David Hughes' book The British Chronicles.

Romania Tour Store, which offers vacations in the country, explained: "Prince Charles has talked multiple times about his European lineage, being the great-grandson 16 times removed of none other than Vlad the Impaler, through the consort of George V, Queen Mary.

"It’s also no secret that Prince Charles is very fond of Romania, especially of the Transylvania region.

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"It was after his first visit to Transylvania in 1998 that he found out about his connection to Vlad the Impaler, a connection that he is very proud of."

The firm added: "Because of his involvement in the region, the mayor of the city of Alba Iulia has proposed to grant Prince Charles the title of Prince of Transylvania as recognition for being a prominent ambassador of the Transylvania region all over the world."