Meet Famous People Who Got Married To Their Own Family Members

However, first cousin marriage is far more common, and far less dangerous, than many of us have been led to believe, as you’ll soon see.From presidents like Martin Van Buren and John Adams to royals like Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, historical figures have often engaged in this practice.

Take a look at these 3 famous people who married their own cousin.

1. Rudy Giuliani

The former New York City mayor has been married three times, the first time to his second cousin. The two separated in the mid-1970s, but didn’t divorce until 1982 — the same year he married newscaster Donna Hanover. He later married Judith Nathan, but the couple divorced in 2019.

2. Albert Einstein And Elsa

Elsa Einstein (18 January 1876 – 20 December 1936) was the second wife and cousin of Albert Einstein. Their mothers were sisters, thus making them maternal first cousins. Further, their fathers were first cousins, making the couple paternal second cousins too.

3. Queen Elizabeth And Prince Philip

The late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were married for more than 70 years, but their relationship went much further back. In fact, they knew each other from childhood—and they were cousins.

Saddam Hussein and Sajid Talfah’s

Saddam Hussein and Sajida Talfah’s marriage was an arranged one, negotiated by their parents when they were not yet ten years old. Although this seems like a medieval practice by modern Western standards, arranged marriages are still fairly common in many Muslim countries.

However, Sajida was also the daughter of Saddam’s uncle, making the pair first cousins as well as spouses: another common practice in some parts of the world.