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Sam Vanderump isn't the only famous face in his family. The reality TV star who appears on E4 's Made In Chelsea is related to television royalty but also shares a connection to Prince Andrew . Prior to joining the show in 2024, Sam had been at the top of producers' lists for a long time, having initially been approached when he was 21 and then again three years later. However, the timings hadn't been ideal for Sam, who was in a relationship the first time he was asked. The second time around, Sam stated that he hadn't established his business properly. But the third time was a charm, and Sam, who was single at the time, happily signed up to join the cast. But Sam, 28, comes from a family known for their lavish lifestyle. Here, we look at the long line of famous blood in his family. Sam is the youngest son of Simone and Mark Vanderpump and has just one sibling, his older brother Jack. As a youngster, Sam was surrounded by the glitz and glamour of showbiz – and even royalty. His dad, who died in 2018, was a businessman and a DJ who went on to his own agency. It was during Mark's twenties when he first came into contact with royalty, installing sound equipment in Prince Andrew's home. But that's not his only royal connection. Sam's mum, Simone, previously worked for the disgraced Prince as his private chef. But this isn't something that Sam speaks about too often. It was during an encounter at Prince Andrew's home that his parents met. He said previously: "My dad went on to own a DJ agency – but in his mid-twenties was installing sound equipment in homes and was installing it at Prince Andrew's place. The royal dog bit my dad and my mum had to bandage him up. They went out for dinner and I think they were engaged within a few months." Tragically, Mark died aged 59 in October 2018. An inquest ruled his death a suicide, with drug toxicity listed as his cause of death. Speaking on an episode of Made In Chelsea, Sam spoke about the loss of his dad, when he and his fiancé Alice discovered that they were expecting a baby boy. Sam said: "I know I never really talk to you about it [...] I just find it really difficult to talk about my dad. I'm never going through anything alone. I've always got you and my family, but it's definitely on my mind. I struggle with the fact my dad's not going to be there at our wedding and I struggle with the fact that our child's not going to know their grandad. It's very sad – especially with the way he went." Away from blue-blooded royalty, Sam is the nephew of TV royalty. His aunt is Real Housewives icon Lisa Vanderpump, the sister of his late dad. Businesswoman Lisa found fame as an original housewife on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, before stepping away in 2019. Since appearing on the Bravo show, she's established herself as a star in her own right, appearing on her self-titled shows, Vanderpump Rules and Vanderpump Villa. Lisa became a rock to Sam following the death of his dad. Speaking about his aunt, Sam previously said: "Losing my dad at a young age was very hard, and Lisa has become my guidance on that side of the family ever since. She is my rock." He added: "The biggest tip Lisa gave me was to remain calm and collected. She said, 'Always speak quietly, you don't need to raise your voice to get your point across,' at times, I don’t keep myself that quiet – whoops!" Earlier this week, during an episode of Made In Chelsea, Sam shared a devastating update on his health. Earlier this year, he admitted he "nearly died" after getting sepsis , which was caused by liver and kidney failure. He was born with the rare conditions, polycystic kidney disease and congenital hepatic fibrosis of the liver, but they lay dormant in his body until December, when he contracted the flu. "There is no hope of my liver getting better and he said I wouldn't be having this call with you if I thought you could make it through the next four or five years," he told Ollie Locke on Monday's episode. He added: "They're sending me for liver transplant assessment, so yeah." When asked how he was feeling, Sam responded: "The way I look at it is I'm healthy now, hopefully I will remain healthy all the way up until I'll get a call and go in for surgery and then I wake up and I'll be healthier." He's said that other people will be "higher up on the list who can't survive the surgery", but has no clue when he will undergo a transplant. If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch
