Red Sox-Yankees London games: Royal family reunion for Mookie Betts?

by Felix Pantaleón

The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees will meet for a pair of games in London, England on June 29-30, 2019 (6/29-6/30/19). Betts could be a distant relative of Meghan Markle, who will marry Prince Harry on May 19, 2018 (5/19/18).

The Boston Red Sox hope to have right fielder Mookie Betts in the lineup on Tuesday, when they open a three-game series against the Yankees with first place in the AL East on the line.

The series begins on the same day Major League Baseball officially announced the Yankees and Red Sox will play a pair of games in London, England in 2019.

The Red Sox will be the home team for both games.

For Betts, the series could be a homecoming of sorts featuring a royal family reunion.

Yankees-Red Sox: What to know

The Boston Globe reports Betts could be a distant relative of Meghan Markle, the actress who will marry Prince Harry on May 19th at Windsor Castle.

Per the report, an amateur genealogist told the Globe that Betts and Markle have ancestors from the same part of Alabama.

Via ESPN:

According to Jim McNiff, a retired college professor who previously traced the roots of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady back to Boston, found that Betts’ great-great-grandfather Joseph Betts and Markle’s great-great-grandfather Jacob Betts were from Madison County, Alabama.

While McNiff’s research was inconclusive as to whether Jacob and Joseph were related, he found that many of the residents of Madison County were descendants of slaves owned by Elisha Betts.

Betts, who leads the majors with 13 home runs and a .355 batting average, left Boston’s 6-1 win against the Texas Rangers on Sunday after being hit with a throw in the shoulder while running the bases.

The Red Sox were off Monday, and manager Alex Cora is hopeful Betts will play Tuesday against the Yankees.

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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