Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterOn May 11, 1812, a disgruntled citizen strode into the lobby of the House of Commons. Hed been there before, largely pottering, and had returned after a morning of errands in London.He waited until the arrival of the Prime Minister. When Spencer Perceval was led into the lobby, the citizen pulled his pistol from a customised inside coat pocket and shot him dead. Perceval remains the only British Prime Minister to have been assassinated.The assassin was the bankrupt son of wealthy Cambridgeshire parents, by now a trader in Liverpool bearing a grudge against the government after he was imprisoned while working in Russia.Is Englands World Cup star descended from Percevals assassin?Perceval was killed by John Bellingham, whose grievance with the government played out within the walls of the Houses of Parliament with bloody consequences 214 years ago.He was convicted and hanged within a week but his name is on the lips of social media users again in 2026 thanks to an extraordinary claim that England and Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham and his brother, Jobe, are descendants of the Prime Ministers assassin. You may like Have Thomas Tuchel and Jude Bellingham fallen out after England criticism? Why did Jude Bellingham slap an Argentina substitute and could he face suspension? Licence to thrill! England star Jude Bellingham eyes role as next James Bond as he looks to life after football But is it true?The Bellinghams father, Mark Bellingham, paired his career in the police with an exceptional goalscoring record as a non-league footballer, initially in Essex but primarily around the West Midlands.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Mark is the son of William Bellingham. He was a military man and educator credited by Jude as the patriotic influence behind the 23-year-olds proud love for his country.He was an Englishman through and through, Jude said of his grandfather after scoring against Croatia at the World Cup in June. William passed away before his grandsons senior England debut in November 2020.In a profile in The Telegraph, Dominic King wrote: William knew that travel broadens horizons. He taught in Singapore and spent six years working for Guinness in Nigeria, after that stint in the Forces. It is why he would impart wisdom and encourage pupils to reach for the stars. What to read next Could Erling Haaland have played for England? HENRY WINTER: Jude Bellingham is England's next captain and he proved it in 20 minutes - because of course he did Henry Winters England dispatch from MetLife Stadium 'This was a reminder of the importance of Jude Bellingham and the ridiculousness of his harshest critics' The video of Williams 1987 appearance on Mastermind was unearthed by social media users in July; for his specialist subject, he tackled 67 years worth of Nigerian history.Clearly, William Bellingham was a man of the world, beloved by his family and his students alike. But is he actually related to John Bellingham?That is the suggestion made by the reliably charming blue-ticker Daniel Hannan, whose existence had mercifully been forgotten for many years until he posted about the Bellingham lineage on X, where all the most lovable folk still hang out.I believe that this impressive chap was first cousin to the father of the Tory minister (and now peer) Henry Bellingham, said Hannan, referring to Williams Mastermind clip.Which means that Jude, like Henry, is a direct descendant of John Bellingham.Theres no faulting that if it were true that Henry Bellinghams father was Williams cousin, it would indeed mean that Jude and Mark and Jobe are descended from arguably Britains most famous assassin.However, in the wake of Hannans punt, some genealogy enthusiasts have produced contradictory evidence. It is variously claimed that Henry Bellingham is in fact not related to John Bellingham, and that William Bellingham and Henry Bellinghams father could not have been cousins.Its a funny old game, Saint.TOPICSJude BellinghamJobe BellinghamEnglandReal MadridChris NeeChris is a Warwickshire-based freelance football writer specialising in West Midlands football, the Premier League, the EFL and the J.League. He is the author of the High Protein Beef Paste football newsletter and owner of Aston Villa Review. He supports Coventry Sphinx.
