One of Utah’s most famous families, the Osmonds, is laying claim that one of Scotland’s most legendary heroes is a distant relation.
Jay Osmond, one of the original Osmond brothers, told the Scottish website Edinburgh Live recently, “You’ll never believe who my ancestor was from way back: Robert the Bruce. So we’ve got a real strong Scottish connection.”
Robert the Bruce was king of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. He is credited with leading Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence against England — cemented when his Scottish army defeated the larger English army, led by Edward II, at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.
Robert’s legacy has received recent attention thanks to a movie, “Outlaw King,” that debuted on Netflix in early November. The movie made headlines because star Chris Pine (“Wonder Woman,” “Star Trek”), who portrays Robert, briefly displays full-frontal nudity.
This image released by Netflix shows Chris Pine in a scene from David Mackenzie’s Robert the Bruce epic “Outlaw King," premiering on Nov. 9. (David Eustace/Netflix via AP)
Jay Osmond, 63, made this ancestral claim while promoting an upcoming UK concert tour, “The Osmonds Rockin’ Christmas,” with his brother Merrill. The brothers will perform in Edinburgh on Dec. 7.
Osmond said he discovered the link to Robert the Bruce while looking on familysearch.org, the website of the genealogy service of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Osmonds have been among the church’s ambassadors since the brothers became stars in the 1960s.
Osmond, a drummer, said his recent musical work has taken a tip from Scottish culture. “One of my favorite things in the world is the Edinburgh Tattoo — man, I love that, the drumming and the bagpipes. Hearing the drumming actually inspired my new performance of ‘Little Drummer Boy.’ Being at the Tattoo really showed me how to do it.”