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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To have confronted DH's cousin for flirting with him?

543 replies

Temporaryusernamename · 05/05/2026 13:56

My husband and I have been together for 18 years, married for 12. We have two children, aged 15 and 13.

Years ago, long before our relationship, when DH and his female 1st cousin were teenagers, they had a brief, secret relationship with each other.

At first, I thought they just slept together, but over the years DH confided in me that he had slept with her once while staying at her house for a week during the summer holidays when they were both 16, but that they also wanted to be together but knew they could never tell anyone.

They lived in different parts of the country and rarely ever saw each other.

My DH has told me he's actually quite angry with his parents for putting them in this position. They were teenagers, who didn't grow up together, rarely saw each other, and yet when the family would meet up once or twice a year, they would always stay over and the kids would be put in the same room, on bunk beds and camp beds, without any thought of the fact that they were developing and going through puberty, just assuming they were innocent kids. He says the curiousity and strong feelings were inevitable and his parents and other adults should have been more responsible.

Anyway, noone at all knows what happened except DH, the cousin, and me.

When they reached young adulthood, the cousin emigrated to a different country and DH and I have only seen her twice in the last 15 years.
However, we are all currently all Holiday together! MIL recently won a large amount of money and took the whole extended family, 17 of us in total, away on a huge Holiday. Cousin is here.

We have been drinking every night and cousin, who is now in her late 30s, and doesn't have a husband or kids of her own, keeps relentlessly saying flirting with DH. Telling him he looks great in shorts, whistling when he takes his top off on the beach, making silly sexual jokes, and hugging him by coming up behind him and resting her head on his shoulder. Noone else seems to notice and DH says not to worry about it as he doesn't feel anything for her and nothing is going to happen and she's just being playful.
But I've noticed she's not like it with any other males here. Just DH.

The final straw for me came last night when she sat on DH's lap while we were all sitting around drinking and put her arms around his neck, and kissed his cheek.

DH just laughed and told her to get up then got up himself and went to the bar.

Again, we had all had quite a lot to drink.

A few minutes later, I went off to the toilet and she was coming back towards me. She was quite drunk and came over with her arms out in front of her to give me a hug. I stepped away and looked her right in the face. I said "Stop flirting with my husband. Don't think I don't know your history. If you come anywhere near him again, I will tell everyone about you two." She looked utterly shocked. I walked away. She must have gone straight to bed.
Today, she's been really quiet all day. Everyone's commented on it but they've just assumed she's really hungover.

MIL and I were sitting on the beach and she commented that this trip has been good for her. She's had a hard time lately as a bloke she was going to marry cheated on her with his ex wife and then went back to her. She's really benefitting from being with family to support her as she's so alone out there.

I feel really guilty for saying that to her last night. I just got so jealous seeing her sitting in his lap, looking amazing in her tiny sundress, knowing their history and she was probably his first love, and felt so insecure. The stupid fling they had was so long ago and they were young and I know at least DH deeply regrets it and is embarrassed about it.

I'm worried I've now ruined her holiday. I didn't know she was going through that. I've been chatting to her to be friendly and get to know her but she never mentioned it

Was I unreasonable?

OP posts:
OneShyQuail · 05/05/2026 19:13

@Temporaryusernamename
You are right that you cant go back in time, decision made there.

So that disgusting fact aside.....
What is not on is the fact that your husband allowed a woman to flirt with him, sit on his lap, hug and kiss him.....

He didnt put a stop to any of it. And you were watching.

Yes you tackled her. Well done.

But you haven't tackled him. Why?!
His behaviour is worse than hers! Hes married!
My DP would shut down anyone flirting with him. And he certainly wouldn't let another woman sit on his lap!

PyongyangKipperbang · 05/05/2026 19:13

ThatBlackCat · 05/05/2026 19:10

You know google links to government websites, medical websites and legal websites, right?

Or are you going to have a conspiracy theory as to why government, medical bodies and legal definitions are not correct?

In the UK it is not considered incest. That's it. Whether you personally consider it to be morally wrong is neither here nor there.

Walkyrie · 05/05/2026 19:13

ByLemonLeader · 05/05/2026 19:11

Do you still want to shag all of your past encounters or exes?

No, but it’s a line which once crossed cannot be undone and the nature of your relationship with them is forever changed. It’s the most intimate thing you can do with somebody, so why wouldn’t it be?

Newmumatlast · 05/05/2026 19:14

Temporaryusernamename · 05/05/2026 13:56

My husband and I have been together for 18 years, married for 12. We have two children, aged 15 and 13.

Years ago, long before our relationship, when DH and his female 1st cousin were teenagers, they had a brief, secret relationship with each other.

At first, I thought they just slept together, but over the years DH confided in me that he had slept with her once while staying at her house for a week during the summer holidays when they were both 16, but that they also wanted to be together but knew they could never tell anyone.

They lived in different parts of the country and rarely ever saw each other.

My DH has told me he's actually quite angry with his parents for putting them in this position. They were teenagers, who didn't grow up together, rarely saw each other, and yet when the family would meet up once or twice a year, they would always stay over and the kids would be put in the same room, on bunk beds and camp beds, without any thought of the fact that they were developing and going through puberty, just assuming they were innocent kids. He says the curiousity and strong feelings were inevitable and his parents and other adults should have been more responsible.

Anyway, noone at all knows what happened except DH, the cousin, and me.

When they reached young adulthood, the cousin emigrated to a different country and DH and I have only seen her twice in the last 15 years.
However, we are all currently all Holiday together! MIL recently won a large amount of money and took the whole extended family, 17 of us in total, away on a huge Holiday. Cousin is here.

We have been drinking every night and cousin, who is now in her late 30s, and doesn't have a husband or kids of her own, keeps relentlessly saying flirting with DH. Telling him he looks great in shorts, whistling when he takes his top off on the beach, making silly sexual jokes, and hugging him by coming up behind him and resting her head on his shoulder. Noone else seems to notice and DH says not to worry about it as he doesn't feel anything for her and nothing is going to happen and she's just being playful.
But I've noticed she's not like it with any other males here. Just DH.

The final straw for me came last night when she sat on DH's lap while we were all sitting around drinking and put her arms around his neck, and kissed his cheek.

DH just laughed and told her to get up then got up himself and went to the bar.

Again, we had all had quite a lot to drink.

A few minutes later, I went off to the toilet and she was coming back towards me. She was quite drunk and came over with her arms out in front of her to give me a hug. I stepped away and looked her right in the face. I said "Stop flirting with my husband. Don't think I don't know your history. If you come anywhere near him again, I will tell everyone about you two." She looked utterly shocked. I walked away. She must have gone straight to bed.
Today, she's been really quiet all day. Everyone's commented on it but they've just assumed she's really hungover.

MIL and I were sitting on the beach and she commented that this trip has been good for her. She's had a hard time lately as a bloke she was going to marry cheated on her with his ex wife and then went back to her. She's really benefitting from being with family to support her as she's so alone out there.

I feel really guilty for saying that to her last night. I just got so jealous seeing her sitting in his lap, looking amazing in her tiny sundress, knowing their history and she was probably his first love, and felt so insecure. The stupid fling they had was so long ago and they were young and I know at least DH deeply regrets it and is embarrassed about it.

I'm worried I've now ruined her holiday. I didn't know she was going through that. I've been chatting to her to be friendly and get to know her but she never mentioned it

Was I unreasonable?

Honestly the fact he has not discouraged her acting this way, and seemed comfortable with it, knowing she is his cousin and he has snagged her, is a HUGE red flag. I would be extremely angry with him and expect him to cut all ties. Completely unacceptable and, sorry, it does make me think he still thinks of her that way even if he wouldn't cheat, which would make me feel sick in your shoes. But then honestly I couldnt marry someone who had shagged their cousin (but appreciate that is easy to say not being in the situation and it being years ago, I just think his excuse and blaming his parents is a huge ick as he was old enough to know whether to shag his cousin and to blame others is not acceptable)

Walkyrie · 05/05/2026 19:14

PyongyangKipperbang · 05/05/2026 19:13

In the UK it is not considered incest. That's it. Whether you personally consider it to be morally wrong is neither here nor there.

It is here or there because cousin marriage is something which is likely to be banned if Reform get in

TreesinthePark · 05/05/2026 19:14

Temporaryusernamename · 05/05/2026 14:37

£26k on a scratchcard! No joke!

She is very generous! I'd have kept quiet about the amount and treated everyone to a Chinese takeaway 😀

PyongyangKipperbang · 05/05/2026 19:16

Walkyrie · 05/05/2026 19:14

It is here or there because cousin marriage is something which is likely to be banned if Reform get in

And what has that got to do with something that happened 23 years ago?

ETA and you do know that the banning would be based in racism to stop all those pesky brown people breeding over here? I find it far more distasteful that you are ok to put your name to that than a couple of teenagers having a shag once.

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 19:17

ByLemonLeader · 05/05/2026 19:06

He said it to a new girlfriend, not his wife

Same difference. He said it to get his leg over.

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 05/05/2026 19:20

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 19:07

It's "icky", sure, but I find it weird that people are saying they don't understand why anyone would marry him. It's all a bit OTT.

It's not remotely OTT to say you don't want to marry someone who willingly engaged in incest. He was 16 - more than old enough to know better.

It's not incest.

Error404FucksNotFound · 05/05/2026 19:21

I wouldn't apologise to her. She cant regret it that much if she's flirting so blatantly and sitting on his lap. She doesnt get a pass to behave so badly because she's had a tough time.

Your husband was far too passive in all this. He should have told her bluntly to stop the moment she started. He should have known failing to do so could give her the impression he was enjoying it.

Hopefully you can all move on from it.

Temporaryusernamename · 05/05/2026 19:21

Tbh, I didn't even really think about the cousin thing much after he told me 🤷
There wasn't like a "hmmmm shall I marry this man after his past?" It was just a stupid thing that happened in his youth to me. It doesn't define him in any way.
Never saw the girl. Never thought about it.

And quite honestly, if I thought that people wouldn't have questioned why she was there on the Holiday, I wouldn't have mentioned she's a cousin, because it's not really what I wanted opinions on.

That's not to say I approve of the cousin fucking. I don't. Neither does he. But it's not the defining moment of his entire personality and life.

OP posts:
Shitshowpolitics · 05/05/2026 19:23

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 05/05/2026 19:20

It's not incest.

In this country it's not in others it's against the law because of genetic disorders.

Duckswaddle · 05/05/2026 19:24

God this whole thing is so fucking grubby I feel a bit sick.

Shitshowpolitics · 05/05/2026 19:27

Temporaryusernamename · 05/05/2026 19:21

Tbh, I didn't even really think about the cousin thing much after he told me 🤷
There wasn't like a "hmmmm shall I marry this man after his past?" It was just a stupid thing that happened in his youth to me. It doesn't define him in any way.
Never saw the girl. Never thought about it.

And quite honestly, if I thought that people wouldn't have questioned why she was there on the Holiday, I wouldn't have mentioned she's a cousin, because it's not really what I wanted opinions on.

That's not to say I approve of the cousin fucking. I don't. Neither does he. But it's not the defining moment of his entire personality and life.

He didn't set any boundaries and allowed her to continue. That part would get to me more because her behaviour is inappropriate.

goodThingGonewrong · 05/05/2026 19:29

@Temporaryusernamename Will you be speaking to your husband about his lack of boundaries with his cousin. He could have avoided his part in this drama by taking his cousin aside and saying “ Susan, wtf are you doing? Can you please stop touching me as you are making me uncomfortable, not to mention my wife ( who I love dearly”.

Bridesmaidorexfriend · 05/05/2026 19:32

Shitshowpolitics · 05/05/2026 19:23

In this country it's not in others it's against the law because of genetic disorders.

I know this thread has now descended in to attacking you because you married a cousin shagger, but to bring it back to the point. I don’t think you were unreasonable but think my main issue would have been your DH not shutting it down before, knowing you were uncomfortable. Have you spoken to him?

Shitshowpolitics · 05/05/2026 19:36

Bridesmaidorexfriend · 05/05/2026 19:32

I know this thread has now descended in to attacking you because you married a cousin shagger, but to bring it back to the point. I don’t think you were unreasonable but think my main issue would have been your DH not shutting it down before, knowing you were uncomfortable. Have you spoken to him?

I fully support the op it's her husband and his cousin. I think the lack of respect he has shown his wife and the lack boundaries he has around his cousin is disturbing and I don't blame the op for how she feels or what she said.

Bridesmaidorexfriend · 05/05/2026 19:38

Shitshowpolitics · 05/05/2026 19:36

I fully support the op it's her husband and his cousin. I think the lack of respect he has shown his wife and the lack boundaries he has around his cousin is disturbing and I don't blame the op for how she feels or what she said.

Sorry I’ve just seen I quoted you. Accident. Was supposed to quote OP

Imisscoffee2021 · 05/05/2026 19:43

She knew what she was doing.

Euridicefortuna · 05/05/2026 19:43

I didn't even think this would be something I had to ask a partner . I couldn't marry someone who slept with their cousin. Incest in any form is a no no for me,gross! I have met/meet new cousins every year........ They were being so disrespectful to you!

SerafinasGoose · 05/05/2026 19:44

Temporaryusernamename · 05/05/2026 19:21

Tbh, I didn't even really think about the cousin thing much after he told me 🤷
There wasn't like a "hmmmm shall I marry this man after his past?" It was just a stupid thing that happened in his youth to me. It doesn't define him in any way.
Never saw the girl. Never thought about it.

And quite honestly, if I thought that people wouldn't have questioned why she was there on the Holiday, I wouldn't have mentioned she's a cousin, because it's not really what I wanted opinions on.

That's not to say I approve of the cousin fucking. I don't. Neither does he. But it's not the defining moment of his entire personality and life.

This was the measured response - and it comes from the person on the thread who is meant to be asking for advice.

What's important isn't what happened 23 years ago. It's what's just happened, in recent days, viewed in the light of that history. What I would have an issue with is his behaviour now. Your response has been not to pursue this further with Cousin, to talk to your husband about what was wrong in his behaviour, and outline the job he has to do to regain your trust. These things are measured, fair, and don't necessitate the silly scorched earth approach so many MNers seem to think necessary.

The righteous moral indignation on this thread is way OTT. We all know it's a social taboo. It may not be illegal but in this day and age - and of course cultural taboos change - it gives most people the ick. People have apprehended this much. There is no nonsensical 'pro incest' motion on this thread (there was no incest as defined in UK law) and no one is attempting to claim that it's a-okay.

It's also one incident way back in the past and no one broke any laws, drowned kittens or boiled someone in oil.

Some posters need to relax.

Temporaryusernamename · 05/05/2026 19:45

Husband left early this morning and is on a hike with his dad, his brothers and our eldest son. They are not back yet but are on the way, then the whole family are having dinner together. I have therefore not had a chance to speak to him yet but I am absolutely plan to this evening. I won't be able to update until tomorrow now.

I've been hanging out on the beach with MIL and SILs. Cousin has been around but has also been spending time reading on her own and dozing and hasn't interacted much other than to be polite. I think she is feeling awkward but I also think she is very hungover as she hasn't taken her sunnies off once.

As I said, will update tomorrow. Have a good evening all.

OP posts:
skiprun · 05/05/2026 19:51

I know a set of first cousins who are married and have children.

You haven’t done anything wrong op. I do think your husband should have said something though. But her being quiet today is not your problem. She will have / should have known her behaviour towards your husband was totally inappropriate and disrespectful

EverydayRoutine · 05/05/2026 19:56

No need to update. Just let the thread die. Or even better, ask for it to be deleted.

DustlandFairytales · 05/05/2026 19:56

DidIJustHearWhatIThinkYouSaid · 05/05/2026 18:52

If some of the PP on here had their 16 year old son in this position there’d still be the ick but I think there would be more talk of teenage hormones, what were the parents thinking to put the cousins in the same room etc etc
But you do need to deal with your husband’s behaviour now.

At 16 I wouldn't put my son in a room with female cousins because I'd think it would be uncomfortable for them all, for the same reasons I wouldn't want to share a bedroom with my dad, brothers or male cousins beyond childhood. Never in a million years would I think, we better not do this in case they shag.