Downton Abbey Era Marriages

Love, Sex, and Marriage in the Days of Downton Abbey

August 20, 2012

Kissing Cousins

Downton Abbey Era Marriages

5 / 13

by Tara Block 1

Kissing Cousins

Mary was set to marry a cousin she didn't even have feelings for in order to secure the family's fortune, and then after he died her next prospect was yet another cousin, Matthew.

While we find marrying relatives a taboo in the States, it's actually still legal to marry your first cousin in the UK (and the royal family has married cousins). And it was an especially popular way for big, wealthy families in the Victorian and Edwardian periods to keep wealth (and secrets) all in the family.

5 / 13

by Tara Block 1

Kissing Cousins

Mary was set to marry a cousin she didn't even have feelings for in order to secure the family's fortune, and then after he died her next prospect was yet another cousin, Matthew.

While we find marrying relatives a taboo in the States, it's actually still legal to marry your first cousin in the UK (and the royal family has married cousins). And it was an especially popular way for big, wealthy families in the Victorian and Edwardian periods to keep wealth (and secrets) all in the family.

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1 Comment

Nancy Einhart 39 weeks 1 day

Well the only thing that could have made DA more awesome is the addition of Shirley MacLaine.