Twins Unwittingly Got Married in Britain

Shawna · 01-11-2008, 05:30 PM

Twins Unwittingly Got Married in Britain
By THOMAS WAGNER, AP
33 minutes ago

LONDON — Twins who were separated at birth got married without realizing they were brother and sister, a lawmaker said, urging more information be provided on birth certificates for adopted children. A court annulled the British couple's union after they discovered their true relationship, Lord David Alton said.

"Everyone has a right to knowledge about their lineage, genealogy and identity. And if they don't, then it will lead to cases of incest," Alton told The Associated Press during a telephone interview Friday.

Alton first revealed details of the unusual case last month during a five-hour debate about a bill that would change regulations about human embryology.

"I was recently involved in a conversation with a High Court judge who was telling me of a case he had dealt with," Alton said according to a transcript of the Dec. 10 debate. "It involved the normal birth of twins who were separated at birth and adopted by separate parents.

"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."

Alton gave no additional details and would not reveal the name of the judge who told him about the case.

The High Court's Family Division declined to discuss or confirm Alton's account about the twins.

Alton, an independent legislator who works at Liverpool's John Moores University, said the siblings' inadvertent marriage raises the wider issue of the importance of strengthening the rights of children to know the identities of their biological parents, including kids who were born through in vitro fertilization.

Under British law, only a mother has to be named on a birth certificate. Such certificates also are not required to identify births that result from IVF or to identify the sperm donor.

In addition, British law does not require parents to ever tell children that they were the result of donated sperm.

Alton believes this should be changed.

Alton said he favors an amendment to the Human Fertility and Embryology bill �� which is still being debated in the House of Lords �� that would require birth certificates of children born from donated sperm to say that and to identify the genetic father.

Referring to the twins' case, he said: "If you start trying to conceal someone's identity, sooner or later the truth will come out. And if you don't know you are biologically related to someone, you may become attracted to them and tragedies like this may occur."

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

nLOVEw/Adam · 01-11-2008, 07:57 PM

interesting... Just when you don't think things like this happen, they do.

I don't know quite what to think of this...

Taminar · 01-13-2008, 09:45 PM

Wow, that's a really freaky case, if it's true. I wonder how they eventually found out that they were twins?

Marissa · 01-13-2008, 10:04 PM

Um WOW. That sucks.

Eeeeeeeek.

Krysie · 01-13-2008, 10:25 PM

Oh man. What a nightmare! I guess they didn't look alike lol.. man.

mkittle · 01-20-2008, 12:29 AM

That's a big oops, I would question things if I looked at my significant other and thought I was looking in a mirror, yikes. Well at least they found each other after all these years.

BellaBlack · 01-20-2008, 02:36 AM

that is bad luck

I hope they can get over this.

Heather · 01-20-2008, 02:43 AM

I think thats so sad...to find someone, and want to spend the rest of your life with them, to learn they are your twin. That has to be heartbreaking for them.

*Ashlee* · 01-20-2008, 09:50 AM

That is, wow

Heartbreaking. It leads you to wonder what needs to be done to prevent things like this from happening.

twinreader · 01-23-2008, 06:02 AM

Wow! I agree that I would wonder if I saw someone who looked like me. Maybe they were fraternal twins?

01-11-2008, 05:30 PM	#1 (permalink)
Shawna Hollywood Elite Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: On Jared's Lap ♥{Pa} ◊{C} ?? ™♣ Posts: 30,345	Twins Unwittingly Got Married in Britain Twins Unwittingly Got Married in Britain By THOMAS WAGNER, AP 33 minutes ago LONDON — Twins who were separated at birth got married without realizing they were brother and sister, a lawmaker said, urging more information be provided on birth certificates for adopted children. A court annulled the British couple's union after they discovered their true relationship, Lord David Alton said. "Everyone has a right to knowledge about their lineage, genealogy and identity. And if they don't, then it will lead to cases of incest," Alton told The Associated Press during a telephone interview Friday. Alton first revealed details of the unusual case last month during a five-hour debate about a bill that would change regulations about human embryology. "I was recently involved in a conversation with a High Court judge who was telling me of a case he had dealt with," Alton said according to a transcript of the Dec. 10 debate. "It involved the normal birth of twins who were separated at birth and adopted by separate parents. "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." Alton gave no additional details and would not reveal the name of the judge who told him about the case. The High Court's Family Division declined to discuss or confirm Alton's account about the twins. Alton, an independent legislator who works at Liverpool's John Moores University, said the siblings' inadvertent marriage raises the wider issue of the importance of strengthening the rights of children to know the identities of their biological parents, including kids who were born through in vitro fertilization. Under British law, only a mother has to be named on a birth certificate. Such certificates also are not required to identify births that result from IVF or to identify the sperm donor. In addition, British law does not require parents to ever tell children that they were the result of donated sperm. Alton believes this should be changed. Alton said he favors an amendment to the Human Fertility and Embryology bill �� which is still being debated in the House of Lords �� that would require birth certificates of children born from donated sperm to say that and to identify the genetic father. Referring to the twins' case, he said: "If you start trying to conceal someone's identity, sooner or later the truth will come out. And if you don't know you are biologically related to someone, you may become attracted to them and tragedies like this may occur." Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. __________________ Chazz & Jimmy are out ,BOOM

01-11-2008, 07:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
nLOVEw/Adam Hollywood Star Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: GA//Tanks 2 Krysie 4 my blinkie & PM me for MSN friend requests. Posts: 9,337	interesting... Just when you don't think things like this happen, they do. I don't know quite what to think of this... __________________ ~Master and Keeper of Drew Barrymore~ ~Resa and I are: ~Team BRODYLICIOUS!~ ~Team Shriya~ ~Team Words~ ~Team Photography~

01-13-2008, 10:04 PM	#4 (permalink)
Marissa Hollywood Elite Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NJ • Fangirling • Snuggling with my husband, Chad, and all of his awesome characters • Tasting Katy's cherry chapstick • Credit for sig goes to ME • NOT POSTING ART IN ANYMORE THREADS & NO REQUESTS Posts: 40,884	Um WOW. That sucks. Eeeeeeeek. __________________ ♥ Mrs. Murray/The other Mrs. Scott & Britney Slave ♥ l e a v i n m y f i n g e r p r i n t s ♥ CHAZZ & JIMMY ARE OUT. BOOM! ♥

01-13-2008, 10:25 PM	#5 (permalink)
Krysie Hollywood Elite Join Date: May 2005 Location: ♥Far Far Away♥ :: {c}Icons By mroo-scarket @ LJ :: Posts: 15,564	Oh man. What a nightmare! I guess they didn't look alike lol.. man. __________________ ♥Krysie♥ Bambi: "Pretty, pretty Flower!" Flower: "Ohh giggles Gosh!" Facebook //Myspace // Twitter ♥ಌ♥

01-20-2008, 02:36 AM	#7 (permalink)
BellaBlack Hollywood Elite Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: credit to ajcher for the sig Posts: 35,327	that is bad luck I hope they can get over this. __________________ *The time has come*

01-13-2008, 09:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
Taminar Intern Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pensacola, The Hurricane State Posts: 916	Wow, that's a really freaky case, if it's true. I wonder how they eventually found out that they were twins?

01-20-2008, 12:29 AM	#6 (permalink)
mkittle Struggling Actor Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 60	That's a big oops, I would question things if I looked at my significant other and thought I was looking in a mirror, yikes. Well at least they found each other after all these years.

01-20-2008, 02:43 AM	#8 (permalink)
Heather Political Junkie Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: In fields of gold Posts: 19,107	I think thats so sad...to find someone, and want to spend the rest of your life with them, to learn they are your twin. That has to be heartbreaking for them. __________________ And so the lion fell in love with the lamb. -What a silly lamb -What a sick, masochistic lion -Edward and Bella

01-20-2008, 09:50 AM	#9 (permalink)
Ashlee Hollywood Elite Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: my heart is in the OC and with ben haha :) otherwise, im in Canada lol Posts: 19,057	That is, wow Heartbreaking. It leads you to wonder what needs to be done to prevent things like this from happening. __________________ Ashlee is a married old lady now

01-23-2008, 06:02 AM	#10 (permalink)
twinreader Extra Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 373	Wow! I agree that I would wonder if I saw someone who looked like me. Maybe they were fraternal twins?