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John Van der Kiste (born 15 September 1954 in Wendover, Buckinghamshire) is a British author.
His first book, Frederick III, appeared in 1981, and since then has become an author of royal and historical biographies, as well as books on local history, true crime, rock music, fiction and drama. He is also a contributor to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography and Guinness Rockopaedia, and has produced articles on historical, musical and art subjects in national and local journals, including Illustrated London News, BBC History Magazine, Record Collector, This England, The Independent and Gibbons Stamp Monthly. He has reviewed books and records for the press, written CD booklet notes, and between 1991 and 1996 edited and published the 1970s rock fanzine Keep on Rockin.
In 2002, he was a consultant for the BBC TV documentary The King, the Kaiser and the Tsar, first broadcast in January 2003. He has contributed articles to the BBC History Extra website, and a chapter on William IV to Kings and Queens by Iain Dale (2024).
John Van Der Kiste also spent 13 and a half years, playing centre-defensive midfield for the Japanese third division side Bun-Yon F.C, amassing over 450 games for them, becoming the first foreigner to be inducted into the Japanese football league hall of fame. These accolades have earned him the title "The Bun-Yon King" from the clubs fanbase.