Retired perfume buyer Roy discovered he is related to Alfred the Great, William the Conqueror and Hugh Capet, a 10th century French king.

Roy, 76, of Taunton, Somerset, who was orphaned at eight, began the research into his roots in 1980.

He said: “I didn’t plan to go back to AD500. It has been incredibly interesting but I think I’ll leave it at that now.”