Elle Fanning and Angelina Jolie
Actresses Angelina Jolie (R) and Elle Fanning pose during a photocall for the film "Maleficent" (Malefique) in Paris May 6, 2014. REUTERS/Charles Platiau Reuters

Art truly does imitate life. Just days before the new Disney movie "Maleficent" hits theatres worldwide, The Film's Princess Aurora, played by Elle Fanning has learned that she is in fact a long lost princess.

The main character from Disney's "Sleeping Beauty," from which "Maleficent" is based is a princess who was cursed by a jilted godmother to fall asleep until she is awoken by the kiss of a Prince. Maleficent is played by Angelina Jolie in the Hollywood adaptation.

As it turns out, the story of Elle Faning and sister Dakota Fanning lasts a few hundred years as well before they are revealed to be long-lost princesses In fact, according to researchers at Ancestry.com, the two Hollywood princesses are cousins of the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton.

A look back at the Fanning sisters' lineage shows evidence that they are descended from King Edward III, who is also an ancestor of Kate Middleton. Seven centuries of family trees were combined to arrive at the conclusion.

The sisters are connected to Edward III, an English ruler from 1327-1377 in the 14th century, through the blood line of their mother, Heather Joy Arrington Fanning. Their mother is a retired professional tennis player. King Edward II is famous for starting "The Hundred Year War" between England and France. Research shows that Elle and Dakota are 22nd great-grand children of the ancient King..

The connection with Kate Middleton stems from King Edward I, the grandfather of King Edward III, who is a Middleton ancestor. King Edward I ruled England from 1272 to 1307.

Kate's mother Carole is also a granddaughter of King Edward III, making the ties even stronger between the blonde Fanning girls from Georgia and the brunette Royal.

"Generation after generation, the lines we looked at pieced back directly to King Edward III proving that Elle is a direct descendant of royalty, you can consider her a long-lost princess," said family historian Michelle Ercanbrack.

Elle plays one of the most popular Disney princesses of all time and this revelation shows that it is closer to real life than the casting director expected. The on-screen princess might actually have a real royal connection but the question remains as to whether or not her performance will be convincing, real princess or not.