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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:
GenialHarrietGrouty · 06/05/2026 10:06

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.

No, it isn't sick. It is just a fact that it is not illegal to have sex with a cousin.

GenialHarrietGrouty · 06/05/2026 10:09

sunflowersandsunsets · 06/05/2026 09:19

If you want to carry on arguing in favour of cousins being allowed to fuck and marry you crack on 🤮

No-one is arguing about it, because it isn't an issue. The simple fact is that both things are allowed. If you don't approve, crack right on and start campaigning for the law to be changed.

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 06/05/2026 10:16

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Wow.
That's all kinds of wrong.

Goditsmemargaret · 06/05/2026 12:36

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Disgusting! I've reported you but wish I could do more.

Walkyrie · 06/05/2026 12:47

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Goditsmemargaret · 06/05/2026 13:00

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You've spoken to every single person there and confirmed these details?

Walkyrie · 06/05/2026 13:01

Goditsmemargaret · 06/05/2026 13:00

You've spoken to every single person there and confirmed these details?

Do you speak to every single Reform or Green voter before making judgement of them?

Scarlettpixie · 06/05/2026 13:04

I don't really understand the angst about cousin relationships because my grandparents were first cousins. It is legal although not advisable due to potential issues with any resulting children. That said this is likely to be more problematic with repeated in breeding rather than a one off. My grandparents had 3 healthy children. They are white working class and this was the 1930s.

OP I don't think your DH and his cousin did anything wrong when they were 16. They realised it wasn't a good idea and moved on. End of. Sounds like she was drunk and maybe still fancies him a bit and it was fine for you to put her in her place - although might have been better if your DH had been a bit more discouraging. I would tell him what happened. I would also apologise to her, say you'd all had a few drinks and of course you won't say anything but her actions were making you uncomfortable (which is fair enough).

I think you were out of order the threaten to tell people about what happened between them. What would that achieve - upset for your DH and the wider family possibly as well as her and your MIL who is doing a nice thing.

Shitshowpolitics · 06/05/2026 15:06

NotAnotherScarf · 05/05/2026 22:21

That's the community in the UK as well as Pakistan. And arranged marriage is still a thing

Agree it shouldn't be legal

I don't know if you remember this article about one in 14 children dying because their parents are closely related article. Just because it's legal doesn't mean it's morally or medically right. The research and studies is out there and people can either educate themselves or ignore it.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/feb/12/one-in-14-children-who-die-in-england-have-closely-related-parents-study-finds

One in 14 children who die in England have closely related parents, study finds

Exclusive: Calls for ‘urgent action’ as study also finds stark ethnic and socio-economic disparities in child mortality and consanguinity

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/feb/12/one-in-14-children-who-die-in-england-have-closely-related-parents-study-finds

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 06/05/2026 15:18

It doesn't say that 1 in 14 children die!

It says that 1 out of the 14 who die have related parents.

sunflowersandsunsets · 06/05/2026 15:41

Quite - I assume all the posters saying it's not a big deal would be fully supportive of their kids having sex with their siblings kids Hmm

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 06/05/2026 16:13

sunflowersandsunsets · 06/05/2026 15:41

Quite - I assume all the posters saying it's not a big deal would be fully supportive of their kids having sex with their siblings kids Hmm

Yes, it's legal.

OhLookLouis · 06/05/2026 16:17

Although first cousins relationships aren’t illegal, it’s certainly unwise, particularly if there are hereditary illnesses in the family. It’s not fair on any children that may result from such a union.

Goditsmemargaret · 06/05/2026 16:19

Walkyrie · 06/05/2026 13:01

Do you speak to every single Reform or Green voter before making judgement of them?

Every single person in the deep south voted for Trump?

sunflowersandsunsets · 06/05/2026 17:23

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 06/05/2026 16:13

Yes, it's legal.

I'm sorry, but that is disgusting.

Temporaryusernamename · 06/05/2026 17:24

FFS people stop arguing whether the cousin-shagging is OK or not. Noone thinks it is. Not me. Not DH. Noone. Why does every Mumsnet thread always go off on irrelevant tangents?
I'm not going to tell you all what's happened now. So there.

OP posts:
OneShyQuail · 06/05/2026 17:27

Temporaryusernamename · 06/05/2026 17:24

FFS people stop arguing whether the cousin-shagging is OK or not. Noone thinks it is. Not me. Not DH. Noone. Why does every Mumsnet thread always go off on irrelevant tangents?
I'm not going to tell you all what's happened now. So there.

I mean there are people on here who keep asking you what your husband has to say for himself about not shutting down the flirting......🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

RodJaneandBungle · 06/05/2026 17:30

What was your DH’s reaction OP? Ignore the de-railers. I hope he didn’t minimise or say she was just drunk, that’s how she is, it’s all harmless etc. It must be awkward as hell being there. How much longer are you there for?

Franpie · 06/05/2026 17:30

Temporaryusernamename · 06/05/2026 17:24

FFS people stop arguing whether the cousin-shagging is OK or not. Noone thinks it is. Not me. Not DH. Noone. Why does every Mumsnet thread always go off on irrelevant tangents?
I'm not going to tell you all what's happened now. So there.

Nooooo!!

Don't let them all ruin it for the rest of us who genuinely want to know whether she is still being awkward or whether she’s ramped up the flirtations to the next level!

Cousin or not, anyone would feel like you do when an ex is sitting on her DH’s lap!

WhitePudding · 06/05/2026 18:03

Arghhh, I’ve been quietly following and now there’s no update. Ughh.

Bridesmaidorexfriend · 06/05/2026 18:08

Rude lol

asdbaybeeee · 06/05/2026 18:09

WhitePudding · 06/05/2026 18:03

Arghhh, I’ve been quietly following and now there’s no update. Ughh.

Exactly! Some people spoil it for everyone else 😂

LLM21 · 06/05/2026 18:13

I wouldn't be feeling bad. She needs support from her family because her partner cheated on her yet she is draping herself over her cousin who is married and who she has a past with.... pot and kettle come to mind!

MissSold · 06/05/2026 18:27

I think you were totally right for telling her off. I would have flattened her.

Sheepsmellnice · 06/05/2026 18:38

Good on you I would have done the same

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