The lineage of the Queen Mother and that of her late husband, King George VI can be traced back through twice-related families to Brian Boru, who was King of Ireland from 1002 to 1014.

      The chart reproduced here is a condensed version to show the lines of the families during the earliest times and then  the more commonly known descendants from the time of King George I and Richard Wellesley.

      Brian Boru was himself descended from the ancient kings of Ulster and the present day O’Neills are a branch of this ancient family, taking their name from the legendary Niall of the Nine Hostages.

      Irish tradition tells us of a Milesian prince, Nelius, who became Niul in the Irish records. This takes us back into the BC era when he married  Scota, one of the daughters of Zedekiah, the last king of the Southern House of Israel, Judah, when the two princesses Tamar and Scota were in exile in Egypt under the protection of the Pharaoh of the time .

     The prophet Jeremiah later left Egypt with the Princess Tamar Tephi, the elder of the two daughters, and as such the heiress of the line of King David, and brought her to Ireland.

      Eochaidh, the reigning Heremon of the area married her, and their descendants may be traced through the Irish records.

      Tamar was buried in the Hill of Tara.