To think a 3rd cousin isn't really a relative?

[CallMeNutribullet]

Not really a Royal family thread but inspired by some of the conversations I've seen online since the Queen's death.

I've seen lots of people suggesting the fact that the Queen and Prince Philip were 3rd cousins is creepy and incestuous. To me it's such a distant relationship that I honestly wouldn't even consider myself related to a 3rd cousin. Google tells me you share less than 1% of your DNA with a 3rd cousin and I can't imagine the vast majority of people have any idea who their 3rd cousins are.

Would others see it as a deal breaker in a relationship if you found out a potential partner shared great, great grandparents with them?

Consanguinity and congenital defects - the risk doubles with first cousins and reduces with 2nd and 3rd cousins although still higher than the average population. If you can avoid this why marry your relative?

Consanguineous unions are associated with an increased risk for congenital malformations and autosomal recessive diseases - commonly thalassaemias, cystic fibrosis, Down’s syndrome, infantile cerebral palsy, and hearing and visual disabilities . . . . why? There are so many people in the world why not marry someone else?

Your grandparents were 1st cousins

My DH’s family were farmers and successive generations farmed most of the farms around us at one time or another. There is a strong family resemblance even among 3rd and 4th cousins. DS is at school with a 4th cousin who has the same (unusual surname) no one had any doubt that they were related. They had never met before school ( cousin is a few years younger) but they seem to look out for each other.
My cousin married our 3rd cousin. We all share the same great great grandparents. They met at sixth form. The wedding was great fun since it brought together a lot of family members who hadn’t seen each other since childhood. My first cousins from that side of the family are close ( not physically) but we communicate regularly through social media. Most of my family have reconnected via social media. We are spread around the country but the internet keeps us connected.

Just to add some info, it is expected that the average person might have around 180 third cousins

isogg.org/wiki/Cousin_statistics