Taphet Kotto reveals his royal lineage in forthcoming autobiography, 'The Royalty.'

Jet, April 7, 1997

Actor Yaphet Kotto, a star on the TV drama "Homicide: 3 Life On The Street", reveals in his forthcoming autobiography that he comes from a bloodstream of royalty.

The Royalty, scheduled to hit bookstores this summer, not only tells about the African kings and queens who are in Kotto's family, but it also claims he's related to Queen Victoria of England.

Kotto says that he is a descendant of Princess Nakande, daughter of King Doualla Manga Bell of Cameroon. Kotto says Princess Nakande had an affair with Prince Edward Albert VII. The two produced a son, Alexander Bell, claims Kotto. Kotto's father, Njoki Manga Bell, was the great-grandson of Alexander Bell.

The Buckingham Palace press office denied Kotto's claim by saying, "We can confirm that Edward VII never visited Cameroon nor do we have any record of an alleged relationship between Edward VII and Princess Nakande."

Kotto's reply to Buckingham Palace's response was, "Why would they admit it is true? They've been covering up for him for centuries. He was a notorious womanizer. Why would they admit he did any wrongdoing now?!"