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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:
Pessismistic · 05/05/2026 20:04

Op you did the right thing she thought she was being funny and smug that it was just there little secret you have put her back in her box she was totally out of order for her behaviour and her bf cheating on her is tough but you don’t go out of your way to be flirting with your cousin in front of his wife there no longer 16.

andfinallyhereweare · 05/05/2026 20:11

He had an affair with his cousin!?? What!?

Franpie · 05/05/2026 20:16

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.

I’m fully invested in how she plays this one out, OP.

Please do come back and update us on what her behaviour is like this evening and ignore all the cousin-fucker haters. As you said, whether or not to marry a cousin-fucker wasn’t the AIBU.

bigboykitty · 05/05/2026 20:21

I don't think the cousin-shagging is that big a deal OP. I haven't done it, but I have friends who have. I think you did exactly the right thing in relation to the cousin. She deserved it. All the more so because she thought she was getting away with it because she thought no one knew their history. I think your H's behaviour has been poor. He should have taken her to one side and told her to stop it the first time she overstepped. He does seem keen to blame everyone except himself. I think you're right - he has enjoyed the attention. He needs to work out how to put things right with you.

ChocolateAddictAlways · 05/05/2026 20:26

AmberSpy · 05/05/2026 14:01

She was inappropriate but your husband shouldn't have entertained it in the way he did. He needs to take her aside and tell her firmly and clearly that he's married and not in any way sexually or romantically interested in her. (She should know all that obviously but sounds like she needs to hear it bluntly from him). If she continues to cross boundaries your husband needs to cut contact with her.

Basically what I'm trying to say is that they are both at fault.

Yes! He should have made it clear that such behaviour was neither appropriate nor welcome. If it didn't occur to him to do that then he needs to give his head a wobble.

ImFinePMSL · 05/05/2026 20:39

user1471600850 · 05/05/2026 18:34

Really? It can't be incest as incest is illegal and being with your cousin is not! I didn't say it was the most natural thing in the world but equally it is not worthy of all the hand wringing stupid comments that people are posting on here. As per usual a lot of people are missing the point of the post!

Really? It can't be incest as incest is illegal and being with your cousin is not!

Your views are sick and disturbing.

ThePaleDreamer · 05/05/2026 20:43

Temporaryusernamename · 05/05/2026 14:28

NO 🤦🤦🤦

There wasn't any sisters involved. Don't worry about that comment, it's related to something else. All the info is in the OP

You said "not a cousin a sister"....

TheBlueKoala · 05/05/2026 20:44

ImFinePMSL · 05/05/2026 20:39

Really? It can't be incest as incest is illegal and being with your cousin is not!

Your views are sick and disturbing.

It's factual. It is not considered incest by the law. They didn't see each other often so didn't grow up as family. And anyway this thread is not about ancient history- It's about now.

Papster · 05/05/2026 20:46

They were kids
Cousin marrying is very common in some cultures and is legal, so hold the yucking
The OP sorted her out.
Id just be polite to her now
Game over
You were being perfectly reasonable

HisNotHes · 05/05/2026 20:48

ThePaleDreamer · 05/05/2026 20:43

You said "not a cousin a sister"....

She was referring to a past post where she told a story about her “cousin” but the person in that story was actually not her cousin, it was her sister. People change small details so as not to be identifying.

ImFinePMSL · 05/05/2026 20:48

TheBlueKoala · 05/05/2026 20:44

It's factual. It is not considered incest by the law. They didn't see each other often so didn't grow up as family. And anyway this thread is not about ancient history- It's about now.

It is not considered incest by the law.

So fucking what?

They didn't see each other often so didn't grow up as family

Again, so fucking what?

Sick sick sick sick sick sick sick 🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢

Papster · 05/05/2026 20:51

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 18:39

Not all incest is illegal. Sleeping with your cousin is legal incest.

They were 16 in a room alone together
My surprise and censorial levels are zero

HisNotHes · 05/05/2026 20:53

Papster · 05/05/2026 20:46

They were kids
Cousin marrying is very common in some cultures and is legal, so hold the yucking
The OP sorted her out.
Id just be polite to her now
Game over
You were being perfectly reasonable

I won’t hold it just because it’s common in some cultures.
Just like treating women as second class citizens is normal in some cultures, I don’t and won’t think it’s ok.

ItsJustMeMyself · 05/05/2026 20:53

ImFinePMSL · 05/05/2026 20:48

It is not considered incest by the law.

So fucking what?

They didn't see each other often so didn't grow up as family

Again, so fucking what?

Sick sick sick sick sick sick sick 🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢

Agreed!!! Does the law have to give us morality and common sense??

Wow! Sleeping with a first cousin is disgusting and 16 year olds know better!

Papster · 05/05/2026 20:56

HisNotHes · 05/05/2026 20:53

I won’t hold it just because it’s common in some cultures.
Just like treating women as second class citizens is normal in some cultures, I don’t and won’t think it’s ok.

Your opinion.
Legality is different matter.

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 05/05/2026 21:20

andfinallyhereweare · 05/05/2026 20:11

He had an affair with his cousin!?? What!?

FGS in many cultures it's not unusual.

Many years ago it was sometimes done to protect family money.

The Royal Family used to marry cousins off to one another.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were first cousins.

The late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were cousins.

King George V and Queen Mary were cousins.

I don't know why everyone is getting so freaked out by this. It's legal and not unheard of.

HisNotHes · 05/05/2026 21:21

Papster · 05/05/2026 20:56

Your opinion.
Legality is different matter.

I was responding to you saying that we should “hold the yuck” just because it’s common in some cultures. Legal or not, common or not, you can’t tell me not to find it gross.

Goditsmemargaret · 05/05/2026 21:22

FFS would people relax on the cousin incest drama?

I would rather eat my own vomit than get jiggy with my cousin's but we spent a lot of time together as kids.

However I know of two first cousins who are married and at least two people who made out with their cousins as teens. I remember being devastated as we loved having sleepovers in my granny's but somewhere between 9 and 11 years old the boys and girls were strictly separated.

The fact that they had sex and it was forbidden probably heightened the romantic feeling to it all. She sounds really strange to be seeking attention and flirting like this as an adult woman. Sitting on his lap is gross behaviour.

OP I would leave her to her hangover and embarrassment now. You've done nothing wrong.

LoyalMember · 05/05/2026 21:27

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 05/05/2026 21:20

FGS in many cultures it's not unusual.

Many years ago it was sometimes done to protect family money.

The Royal Family used to marry cousins off to one another.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were first cousins.

The late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were cousins.

King George V and Queen Mary were cousins.

I don't know why everyone is getting so freaked out by this. It's legal and not unheard of.

It shouldn't be legal, though, because it causes disabilities and genetic mutations. It's utterly disgusting and inappropriate as well, of course.

ImFinePMSL · 05/05/2026 21:29

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 05/05/2026 21:20

FGS in many cultures it's not unusual.

Many years ago it was sometimes done to protect family money.

The Royal Family used to marry cousins off to one another.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were first cousins.

The late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were cousins.

King George V and Queen Mary were cousins.

I don't know why everyone is getting so freaked out by this. It's legal and not unheard of.

FGS THIS ISN’T SOMETHING TO NORMALISE

SorcererGaheris · 05/05/2026 21:33

ThePaleDreamer · 05/05/2026 20:43

You said "not a cousin a sister"....

@ThePaleDreamer

She was referring to a previous thread she started - not this current one.

Pinkissmart · 05/05/2026 21:37

Her behaviour was awful, but not sure you needed to blackmail her.
You could have just said something along the lines of ‘ oh, if you weren’t so closely related, I’d worry’ .

Itsanewdawnitsanewdayitsanewlife4me · 05/05/2026 21:42

While cousins sleeping together is not a nice ideal at least it was consented on both ends. I would rather that that non consensual sex between any two people.

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 05/05/2026 21:46

ImFinePMSL · 05/05/2026 21:29

FGS THIS ISN’T SOMETHING TO NORMALISE

Why?

LoyalMember · 05/05/2026 21:48

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 05/05/2026 21:46

Why?

Seriously? First cousins fucking? You must approve of causing disabilities and genetic mutations in children...