- Some of the most powerful people and historical figures have married their cousins.
- Cousin marriages were used to keep fortunes within the family line and forge alliances.
- Queen Elizabeth II, Rudy Giuliani, and Kevin Bacon have all married close or distant cousins.
- Here are 10 people who knowingly or unknowingly married their cousins.
Queen Elizabeth II married Prince Philip, her second cousin once removed.
The late Queen Elizabeth II married Prince Philip, her second cousin once removed, in 1947.
Their 70-year marriage lasted until Philip died in 2021. While rumors have persisted over the years of Philip having affairs, they have not been proven, and the Queen is said to have loved him devotedly throughout their marriage, according to Time.
Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick are distant cousins.
Actors Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick have been married since 1988, according to People.
The couple wouldn't find out until years later that they are actually ninth cousins once removed, according to Forbes. The revelation of their genealogy came in a 2012 PBS episode of the show "Finding Your Roots," per People.
