# What if a female monarch gives birth to identical twins? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 19, 2006, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-a-female-monarch-gives-birth-to-identical-twins/361362 "2006-06-19T23:24:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-a-female-monarch-gives-birth-to-identical-twins/361362/1 "2006-06-19T23:24:24Z")
Who succeeds her? Has this situation ever happened before? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-a-female-monarch-gives-birth-to-identical-twins/361362/2 "2006-06-19T23:27:01Z")
Unless they slither out together on a toboggan, one has to be older than the other. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-a-female-monarch-gives-birth-to-identical-twins/361362/3 "2006-06-19T23:27:32Z")
Even identical twins come out one at a time. So one must be older than the other and would take precedence. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-a-female-monarch-gives-birth-to-identical-twins/361362/4 "2006-06-19T23:31:22Z")
[The Man in the Iron Mask](http://www.royalty.nu/legends/IronMask.html) ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-a-female-monarch-gives-birth-to-identical-twins/361362/5 "2006-06-19T23:32:19Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > Even identical twins come out one at a time. Unless she was Catherine the Great… ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-a-female-monarch-gives-birth-to-identical-twins/361362/6 "2006-06-19T23:33:15Z")
> [@Exapno Mapcase](#): > > Unless they slither out together on a toboggan, one has to be older than the other. That works until the diabolical “younger” one drugs and quietly switches pajamas with the would-be monarch at a young age. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-a-female-monarch-gives-birth-to-identical-twins/361362/7 "2006-06-19T23:40:01Z")
So this question has nothing to do with butterflys? Allright then. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-a-female-monarch-gives-birth-to-identical-twins/361362/8 "2006-06-20T00:02:12Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > That works until the diabolical “younger” one drugs and quietly switches pajamas with the would-be monarch at a young age. Typically, he offers his brother a mess of pottage by way of sweetening the deal. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-a-female-monarch-gives-birth-to-identical-twins/361362/9 "2006-06-20T00:50:25Z")
> [@Exapno Mapcase](#): > > Unless they slither out together on a toboggan, one has to be older than the other. :eek: I actually laughed out loud, which is rare for me when I’m reading. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-a-female-monarch-gives-birth-to-identical-twins/361362/10 "2006-06-20T01:20:14Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > So this question has nothing to do with butterflys? > Allright then. You weren’t the only one who came into this thread thinking that. After all, why ask about a female monarch? Same deal if the monarch is a male and his consort gives birth to twins. In fact, it doesn’t even matter if the twins are identical, excepet that it might be easier to tell them apart later. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-a-female-monarch-gives-birth-to-identical-twins/361362/11 "2006-06-20T02:56:09Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > So this question has nothing to do with butterflys? > Allright then. Well, that would complicate things. First she’d lay a kazillion identical eggs . . . ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-a-female-monarch-gives-birth-to-identical-twins/361362/12 "2006-06-20T03:42:58Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Unless she was Catherine the Great… 😕 ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-a-female-monarch-gives-birth-to-identical-twins/361362/13 "2006-06-20T03:55:18Z")
> [@Exapno Mapcase](#): > > Unless they slither out together on a toboggan, one has to be older than the other. What if it was a c-section and both were extracted at the same time? Assuming the twins are male/male, female/female, or male/female (equal succcesion law). Or what if the royal twins were conjoined? Have there ever been royal conjoined twins? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-a-female-monarch-gives-birth-to-identical-twins/361362/14 "2006-06-20T04:08:55Z")
> [@](#): > > 😕 I presume that **jjimm** was referring to the old legends about the alleged, erm, non-mainstream sexual proclivities of Catherine the Great, with the implication being that her birth canal would have thereby been sufficiently distended as to allow for the simultaneous passage of two princes. I doubt that such would have been sufficient, however, even in the unlikely event that the legends were correct, as a horse’s reproductive member, large though it may be, is still somewhat smaller than the head of even a single newborn human, and the pelvic bone (which would not stretch) is only just large enough for a single such newborn. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-a-female-monarch-gives-birth-to-identical-twins/361362/15 "2006-06-20T04:12:55Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > What if it was a c-section and both were extracted at the same time? Even with a c-section, they are lifted out one at a time. I imagine an incision large enough to take two babies out through simultaneously would very likely kill the mother. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-a-female-monarch-gives-birth-to-identical-twins/361362/16 "2006-06-20T04:20:00Z")
I can’t think of any monarchy except for the Japanese emperor that has lasted all that long before there was some sort of controversy that needed to be settled with force of arms. Especially in the situations where the monarchy wielded significant power. It seems to me that every few centuries there was some kind of power struggle in England over the heir to the throne. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-a-female-monarch-gives-birth-to-identical-twins/361362/17 "2006-06-20T05:30:09Z")
Typically one twin will be kidnapped with the intent to murder him, probably by an evil uncle with pretensions to the throne, however his soft-hearted henchman will be moved to spare the infant, probably giving him to a poor but honest couple with no children of their own: complications will ensue when the lad grows up and is mistaken for his brother the Prince, to whom he bears an uncanny resemblance, but all will come right in the end, as the evil uncle, almost certainly Regent by now, gets his lumps and the urchin is crowned King, since the erstwhile kidnappee is inevitably the older sibling. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-a-female-monarch-gives-birth-to-identical-twins/361362/18 "2006-06-20T06:31:10Z")
I bet they just hand over the throne to King Ralph. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-a-female-monarch-gives-birth-to-identical-twins/361362/19 "2006-06-20T08:41:34Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I doubt that such would have been sufficient, however, even in the unlikely event that the legends were correct, as a horse’s reproductive member, large though it may be, is still somewhat smaller than the head of even a single newborn human, and the pelvic bone (which would not stretch) is only just large enough for a single such newborn. It’s the way you tell 'em. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-a-female-monarch-gives-birth-to-identical-twins/361362/20 "2006-06-20T09:59:37Z")
> [@C.S. Lewis](#): > > “…And tomorrow, Cor,” he added, “shalt come over all the castle with me, and see the estate, and mark all its strength and weakness - for it will be thine to guard when I’m gone.” > > “But - Corin will be the king then, Father” said Cor. > > “Nay, lad,” said King Lune. “Thou art my heir. The crown comes to thee.” > > “But I don’t want it!” said Cor. “I’d far rather–” > > “'Tis no question what thou wantest, Cor, nor I neither. 'Tis in the course of law.” > > “But, if we’re twins, we must be the same age.” > > “Nay!” said the king with a laugh. “One must come first. Art Corin’s elder by full twenty minutes! And his better too, let’s hope, though that’s no great mastery.” And he looked at Corin with a twinkle in his eyes. > > “But, father… couldn’t you make whichever you liked to be the next king?” > > “No. The king’s under the law, for it’s the law makes him a king. Hast no more power to start away from thy crown than any sentry from his post.” > > “Oh dear,” said Cor said. “I don’t want to at all. And Corin – I’m most dreadfully sorry. I never dreamed my turning up was going to chisel you out of your kingdom.” > > “Hurrah, hurrah!!” said Corin. “I shan’t have to be king! I shan’t have to be king!! I’ll always be a prince - it’s princes have all the fun.” From “The horse and his boy.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-a-female-monarch-gives-birth-to-identical-twins/361362.md?page=2)