Twins unknowingly marry each other
Categories: Adoption, Siblings, Weird But True
We've all heard those heartwarming stories of twins who were separated at birth finding each other again later in life. Torn apart by circumstance and fate and unaware of the other's existence, they are understandably overjoyed to find that missing piece of themselves. Except in this case. These two "separated at birth" twins discovered their unique bond at the worst possible time. After they married each other.
Lord Alton, a peer in the British House of Lords says, "They were never told that they were twins. They met later in life and felt an inevitable attraction, and the judge had to deal with the consequences of the marriage that they entered into and all the issues of their separation."
The court dealt with it by annulling the marriage. But can you imagine the "issues of separation" the formerly-married twins are dealing with?
Mo O'Reilly, the director of child placement for the British Association for Adoption and Fostering, says that while this situation is rare, it isn't completely unheard of. And that makes sense, considering the fact that many of us are attracted to someone who we find to be similar to ourselves. You just can't get more similar than a twin.
Lord Alton, a peer in the British House of Lords says, "They were never told that they were twins. They met later in life and felt an inevitable attraction, and the judge had to deal with the consequences of the marriage that they entered into and all the issues of their separation."
The court dealt with it by annulling the marriage. But can you imagine the "issues of separation" the formerly-married twins are dealing with?
Mo O'Reilly, the director of child placement for the British Association for Adoption and Fostering, says that while this situation is rare, it isn't completely unheard of. And that makes sense, considering the fact that many of us are attracted to someone who we find to be similar to ourselves. You just can't get more similar than a twin.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
Renee 2-02-2008 @ 12:51AM
1-14-2008 @ 7:05PM
spootie said...
They probably found out when they tried to have kids and kept miscarrying. The blood work would show it. That is why in the U.S. we do blood tests before you can get married. The next 15 years and later will be full of things like this due to cryo banks. People buy sperm and eggs and it is limited, but my son has a half sister and half brother that we know of and I am sure there are a few more but they have not contacted the sibling donor registry to find out. I would hate to see my son go off to college and meet his half sister and find out later they are related. I have talked with him and he understands but what about all the parents who don't tell their kids because they do not want to feel rejected because they couldn't make a baby. Part of making a baby is just loving it no matter what and raising them to be a good person.
My response is that not all states require blood testing for a marriage license. My husband and I were not required, it is not a requirment in our state.
Reply
Anji 1-11-2008 @ 2:56PM
What I want to know is how they found out in the end!
Reply
spootie 1-14-2008 @ 7:05PM
They probably found out when they tried to have kids and kept miscarrying. The blood work would show it. That is why in the U.S. we do blood tests before you can get married. The next 15 years and later will be full of things like this due to cryo banks. People buy sperm and eggs and it is limited, but my son has a half sister and half brother that we know of and I am sure there are a few more but they have not contacted the sibling donor registry to find out. I would hate to see my son go off to college and meet his half sister and find out later they are related. I have talked with him and he understands but what about all the parents who don't tell their kids because they do not want to feel rejected because they couldn't make a baby. Part of making a baby is just loving it no matter what and raising them to be a good person.
tracy 1-14-2008 @ 6:59PM
Actually some states in the USA do not take blood. Since they are fraternal twins, they would not or may not look alike.
Perhaps neither were told they were adopted, and perhaps the birth certificates were altered.
Dzizis 1-14-2008 @ 7:37PM
This sounds like an episode of HOUSE!
betsy 1-14-2008 @ 8:17PM
bloodwork is for disease not for kissing cousins like
yourself. please research this.i do blood for a living.
you do not need blood tests to get married any
more in most states.actually twins could conceive
a viable child who looks and acts normal.
bb 1-11-2008 @ 3:20PM
OK, the chance of this happening is absolutely impossible. This story is ridiculous. Can you imagine meeting a potential significant other and the conversation goes like this:
"Hey, when is your birthday? What? My birthday is the exact same day too!"
"What? You're adopted too? Me too! Wow. Weird."
Like, DUH!
Reply
Kelsey 1-13-2008 @ 2:12PM
If you did not know that you were adopted and found out the person you were dating was born the exact same day you were, wouldn't you just consider it a romantic conciendence?
Lisa 1-14-2008 @ 2:54PM
ya they didnt look a LITTLE alike????? That is wierd!
jill 1-14-2008 @ 3:05PM
I have a friend who was born on the exact same date as me. We don't think we are twins seperated at birth,. Never crossed our minds.
spootie 1-14-2008 @ 6:43PM
They probably were not told they were adopted. the same birthdays wel that is just freakish
TLS 1-14-2008 @ 6:51PM
Since each child was adopted separately, the adoptive parents may not have been given the true birth date. They might even have celebrated the date of adoption as the "birthday." And since thousands of babies are born every day, the odds of you meeting someone with your same birth date are very high.
Nikki 1-14-2008 @ 7:34PM
okay, first of all, 1 out of 10 kids in my school are adopted. Secondly, 1 out of 60 of the adopted have the same birthday as another adopted student. It is NOT ridiculious, and it is NOT untrue!!! And the kids who have the same birthday are NOT related!
Renee 2-01-2008 @ 11:48PM
Ummmm, there are many children that never know they are adopted. This is possible on many levels, the first one being that it has happened already.
Summer 1-11-2008 @ 3:41PM
Uh, before you smart off so, bb, did you ever consider the fact that
1) They may not have been told they (either one or both) were adopted?
and
2) Neither one was told that they had a twin out there somewhere.
I feel so badly for this couple, but I certainly think this IS possible (and since it just happened, DUH) and I think it's a great argument for being honest with your adopted child from the beginning.
You'd be amazed how many people STILL don't find out until well into adulthood!
Reply
Linda 1-14-2008 @ 2:39PM
I'm not a twin, but didn't find out I was adopted until I was 30 ....
Kerri 1-11-2008 @ 4:29PM
My curiosity is getting the better of me here! What I want to know is: how did they find out that they were twins?
Reply
Amanda 1-11-2008 @ 5:24PM
well, if it is a true story, how sad and strange. Can you imagine the years of therapy these two will have to be in???? I kind of have a hard time believing its a true story too because, even if you are just fraternal twins I'm sure they still resemble each other!?
Reply
Jenn 1-11-2008 @ 8:41PM
Amanda, I've met several pairs of twins, especially boy-girl fraternal twins, who look nothing alike.
I'm sure it is an incredibly rare occurrence, but I can't see it making it to be reported by the BBC without it being true!
But you're right, I can't even imagine the weird trauma this would cause -- and yep, tons of therapy! Let's hope they both have a good sense of humor that eventually wins out and helps them get through this!
Lynne 1-13-2008 @ 5:16PM
Fraternal twins have the same amount of shared DNA as regular sibilings. I'm a fraternal twin. I have dark hair, brown eyes, and am very curvy. My twin is blond haired, blue eyed, is 4 inches shorter than I am and has an athletic build. Our parents don't look anything alike so there were a lot of genetic possibilities.