Roman Roy and Shiv Roy are definitely siblings in Succession, but the show has hinted that the two characters are actually twins. Succession mainly focuses on the Roy family, with all four of Logan Roy's children being major players in the critically-acclaimed HBO series. However, the series has been oddly vague about the ages of Roman and Shiv, with Succession seemingly hinting that they are twins.
Succession follows Kendall, Roman, Shiv, and Connor Roy as they fight over who will be the future CEO of Waystar Royco after the retirement of their father, Logan Roy. The first three seasons of Succession have been a push and pull between the siblings, with Succession season 4 finally gearing up to reveal who will win in the end. Although the siblings have their conflicts throughout the series, Shiv and Roman have always seemed closer than the rest of the Roy clan. Although this could simply be attributed to their friendship, Succession has left some breadcrumbs that lead to another explanation: Shiv and Roman are twins.
Hints That Roman & Shiv Roy Actually Are Twins In Succession
Several moments throughout Succession have hinted that Roman and Shiv aren't just siblings, but twins. The most obvious of these is Roman's name. Logan has given his son the nickname Romulus after the founder of Rome. Romulus was famously a twin, having a brother named Remus. While Logan's nickname for Roman could simply be an affectionate way to say that he is destined for greatness, the fact that Romulus was a twin makes the nickname too specific to be just a coincidence.
How Old Are Roman & Shiv In Succession?
The key to Roman and Shiv's ages is actually their older brother, Connor. Connor is known to be in his 50s, and Succession has mentioned that he is two decades older than his younger siblings. This puts Roman and Shiv in their 30s, but there are some hints that allow for a more specific guess. The official HBO character profile for Shiv calls her "the youngest child in the Roy family," meaning that she is not Roman's twin according to the website. Also, Kieran Culkin is 40 whereas Sarah Snook is 35, meaning that if they're not twins, Roman is probably a few years older than Shiv.
What Roman & Shiv Being Twins Would Mean For Succession
Roman and Shiv being twins wouldn't have a huge impact on the narrative of Succession, but it would add an extra layer to some elements. Roman and Shiv have always been closer than the other Roy siblings, and them being the only twins on Succession's Roy family tree would cause their relationship to make even more sense. It would also make Logan's treatment of Roman even sadder, as him picking Shiv as his favorite is even worse if they are twins. Roman and Shiv's status as twins has been one of Succession's biggest mysteries, one that season 4 could answer.
Source: HBO