Britain | Relative values
The culture wars are coming for cousin marriage in Britain
Some on the political right are pushing for a ban
|4 min read
Marrying a first cousin has been legal in Britain since Henry VIII broke with Rome in the 16th century. The practice faded and became taboo as family sizes shrank and understanding of the genetic risks grew. In modern Britain unions between first cousins are rare, and for decades have been a non-issue.
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This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Relative values”
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