Last updated at 21:41 09 January 2008

Meet the ancestors: Charles II, Oliver Cromwell, Napoleon and Clive of India. Recreated in breathtaking details, portraits of four famous historical figures ... starring their modern-day descendents

CHARLES II

When he was 19 his father, Charles I, was executed after the Parliamentarians beat the Royalists in the Civil War.

Charles was crowned King of Scotland in 1651, but after defeat in battle fled to the Continent for nine years.

Charles (1630-1685) returned to the throne after Cromwell's death. Known as the Merry Monarch, he had many mistresses, but left no legitimate heir.

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LIVING RELATIVE: Lord Charles FitzRoy

Nine times great-grandson of Charles II and long-time mistress Barbara Villiers, Lord Charles FitzRoy, a 50-year-old father-of-two, is a London-based fine art tour specialist.

He says: "People have the impression that Charles II was a fun-loving merry monarch with his mistresses, but in reality he had to be cunning and manipulative to survive."

Charles has recently written a book, Return Of The King; The Restoration Of Charles II, about his famous ancestor and adds: "He was an impressive man and one of the more intelligent of English kings."

In our photograph, Charles is wearing a curly poodle wig and his fine moustache has been created by a make-up artist. He's standing in front of a real drape but the rest of the background, and the suit of armour, have been digitally added. The sword and the staff are real.

"My royal connection doesn't alter who I am," he says, "but it does change some people's perceptions of me. Deep down, I find it faintly embarrassing in this day and age."

OLIVER CROMWELL

An MP who played a leading role in bringing Charles I to trial and execution, Cromwell (1599-1658) later led the Roundheads in the English Civil Wars of the 1640s and his success on the battlefield and his skill as a politician led him to power as Lord Protector - the head of state, and for some a "king in all but name".

LIVING RELATIVE: Charlie Bush

Nine times great-grandson of Oliver Cromwell, the 64-year-old from Taunton, Somerset, was raised on a farm in Kenya and is now a technical support manager working in Australia in the agricultural machinery industry. He is married with three grown-up children.

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He says: "In Kenya we didn't learn much about the English Civil War. I find it hard to make the connection with such a famous relative, though I suppose we share a bullish determination - I've worked my way up through the ranks and admire what Cromwell did."

Mr Bush's heirlooms, including portraits and swords, are on display in The Cromwell Museum in Huntingdon, Cromwell's birthplace.

"Having a famous ancestor hasn't made a difference, but I am immensely proud of my roots," he says.

For the pictorial recreation, Mr Bush is wearing a wig and has had make-up applied so his skin-tone matches that of Cromwell.

His shirt, the black breast-plate and the chain round his neck are all props, but the medallion has been digitally enhanced.

NAPOLEON

Bonaparte (1769-1821) was one of the greatest military commanders in history. Through his conquests and ruthless efficiency, he rose from obscurity to become Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, but was finally defeated by Wellington at Waterloo in 1815.

After his surrender, he was imprisoned by the British on St Helena in the South Atlantic, where he died six years later.

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LIVING RELATIVE: Hugo de Salis

Managing director and joint founder of a financial PR company in London, Hugo de Salis, 36, is the great- great-great-great-grandson of Napoleon.

He can trace his family line back through the affair the Emperor had with Emilie Pellapra, who gave birth to a daughter, from whom he is descended.

He says: "Napoleon achieved so much for France in recovering after the chaos and disintegration of the Revolution, restoring law and order, a new legal system and a new social structure.

"In effect, he gave the country back its self-esteem. Character-wise, he reportedly liked sun and the good life, so I suppose we do have something in common.

"Having a famous ancestor can be fun at times. One night out in Paris, my friends and I descended on the Bar Napoleon. The proprietor said if I could prove my ancestry, there would be free drinks all round.

"My dad was telephoned at the dead of night and persuaded to fax through a copy of the family tree. As they say, the rest is history."

This picture was the most difficult to reproduce, as Napoleon's original study at the Tuileries was later burned down during the Communard uprising.

So in our reconstruction, the chair and desk had to be specially built, then digitally enhanced to resemble the original, while others (for example the bookcase) were created from scratch using computer imagery.

The clock was painted on a flat surface and digital techniques were applied later to make it appear three-dimensional.

CLIVE OF INDIA

Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive of Plassey in the Irish peerage (1725-1774), was one of the key figures in the creation of British India.

Born in Shropshire, he was sent to Madras to join the East India Company in 1743 and when war broke out between Britain and France in India in 1751 he volunteered for military service and seized and held the city of Arcot, his first major victory.

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He later became governor of Bengal, but was later forced to defend himself against charges of corruption and committed suicide on November 22, 1774.

LIVING RELATIVE: Robert Holden

Great-great-great-great-great grandson of Clive of India, the 51-year- old fine art agent is based in London and married with 10-year-old twins.

He says: "I've always been proud of the connection, but I wouldn't want to swop places. Clive of India was ill - he took opium to suppress terrible abdominal pains - and committed suicide at just 49."

In the photograph, Robert is wearing a wig and make-up to give his face the same ruddy glow as that displayed by Clive The backdrop has been painted but the costume and the tricornered hat he is holding in his left hand are real.

"I'm not aware of any similarities - physically or character wise," he says. "Clive was determined and resolute though not a particularly nice man."

Through his work as a fine art agent, Robert has organised the sale of a number of Clive of India heirlooms.

These include a 9in jade bottle encrusted with gold, emeralds, rubies and diamonds, which sold for £2.6 million - a world record for Indian art.

"I was in Delhi a few years ago," he says, "and mentioned the family connection to my taxi driver. He started yelling something out of the window to the soldiers at the Red Fort's elephant gate and they all leapt to attention and saluted me, opening it for us to drive through.

"I also once went to a fancy dress party as Clive of India, but everyone thought I was George III."