Not acceptable, tbh. Not in this day and age. Inbreeding is illegal for a reason.
Even in the USA, which is the only country in the Western world that bans cousin marriages, it is a state matter, and in Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont and Virginia, even first cousin marriage is perfectly legal without any conditions. In a few other states it is permitted subject to restrictions.
Only in 8 states: Nevada, North and South Dakota, Texas, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Utah, and Arizona, is it a criminal offence.
Cousin marriage law in the United States by state - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
As far as I can tell, no US state seems to have a problem with second cousin marriages.
And as to the genetic issue: "In April 2002, the
Journal of Genetic Counseling released a report which estimated the average risk of
birth defects in a child born of first cousins at 1.7–2.8% over an average base risk for non-cousin couples of 3%, or about the same as that of any woman over age 40.
[184] In terms of mortality, a 1994 study found a mean excess pre-reproductive mortality rate of 4.4%,
[185] while another study published in 2009 suggests the rate may be closer to 3.5%.
[2] Put differently, first-cousin marriage entails a similar increased risk of birth defects and mortality as a woman faces when she gives birth at age 41 rather than at 30.
[186] Critics argue that banning first-cousin marriages would make as much sense as trying to ban childbearing by older women."
Cousin marriage - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Thus the reason first cousin marriages were initially outlawed seems to have been discredited.
In the UK, first cousin marriage is perfectly legal, so Harry could even marry Beatrice or Eugenie. That notion will make most people squirm, but Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were first cousins so there is a precedent at the highest levels and within the family. Actually people might squirm even more at the thought of Harry with one of his first cousins precisely
because of the fact of that first cousin marriage in their ancestry. However, as Kitty has pointed out, HM and Prince Philip are second cousins once removed and I don't think anyone has worried about the closeness of that relationship so Harry and Gabriella would be unlikely to face any opposition on the basis of theirs. This is all totally hypothetical though since I can't imagine Harry and Gabriella together.
I think Harry's future wife is currently a member of the armed forces or is working for a charity in some capacity.