Sister Wives star Kody Brown has a controversial relationship history. He has been married four times and practiced polygamy. Audiences met Kody and his large family when their TLC show aired in 2010, and is still going strong in 2024. When the show aired, viewers soon learned the former firearms salesman felt love should be “multiplied, not divided.”
Kody first married Meri in 1990, and the pair were originally monogamous. When he met Janelle in 1993, they embraced polygamy, adding Christine to the family in 1994.
Now, 14 years and 18 children later, he is only married to his fourth wife, Robyn, after his other three relationships broke down.
Meri Brown And The Catfishing Scandal
Kody Brown’s Children With His Ex-Partners | ||
---|---|---|
Children’s Name | DOB | Mother |
Logan Taylor Brown | 05/21/1994 | Janelle Brown |
Aspryn Kristine Thompson | 05/14/1995 | Christine Brown |
Leon Brown | 07/29/1995 | Meri Brown |
Madison Rose Brush | 11/03/1995 | Janelle Brown |
Mykelti Ann Padron | 06/09/1996 | Christine Brown |
Hunter Elias Brown | 02/09/1997 | Janelle Brown |
Paedon Rex Brown | 08/07/1998 | Christine Brown |
Robert Garrison Brown | 05/10/1998 | Janelle Brown |
Gabriel Brown | 01/08/2001 | Janelle Brown |
Gwendyln Brown | 10/16/2001 | Christine Brown |
Ysabel Paige Brown | 03/07/2003 | Christine Brown |
Savannah Brown | 12/07/2004 | Janelle Brown |
Truely Grace Brown | 05/13/2010 | Christine Brown |
The couple married in April 1990 and had one child, Leon Brown, who would later come out as trans. Meri was happy to open up her marriage, with fourth wife Robyn even offering to be a surrogate when she revealed her fertility issues.
The breakdown of Meri and Kody Brown’s relationship came when she became involved in a catfishing scandal, as reported by People. She thought she had enjoyed a six-month online romance with Sam, whom she met on the platform then known as Twitter. In reality, she had been messaging a woman named Jackie Overton.
And even a year into living in Flagstaff, I was still dealing with a lot of bitterness about our past. In the past few months, I’ve been able to really let that go for myself. And I feel more friendly with Meri than I have felt in six or more years.
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Is Meri Brown The True Villain In The Sister Wives Family Drama?
A lot of the Sister Wives’ troubles surround Kody Brown’s marriages, but Meri Brown’s behavior has been called into question too.
Meri confirmed the end of their relationship on the Sister Wives: One-on-One special. She believed that the real reason they split was because of the family moving to Arizona in 2018. “You know, our first anniversary that we had here in Flagstaff, it was, ‘Cheers to a new beginning!’ As opposed to this last anniversary, he’s like, ‘I don’t even know why you called me, Meri…we’re not married. We’re not acting as married.'”
The Pandemic Split Up Kody And Janelle Brown
Janelle was married to Meri’s brother when she met Kody in 1989. The pair started dating in 1993, after Janelle’s divorce and spiritually wed two weeks later.
- They went on to have six children together: Logan, Maddie, Hunter, Garrison, Gabriel, and Savannah.
Entertainment Tonight reported that after years of tension between the couple, Janelle announced her separation from Kody in 2022, ending their 30-year spiritual marriage. Their issues were due to his strained relationships with his older children, particularly Garrison and Gabriel.
Unfortunately, the rules he placed on his wives and children were not the same rules he had for himself. For example, Kody officiated an indoor wedding without quarantining afterward, yet his wives were forced to quarantine away from him if they traveled anywhere. He even refused to visit his daughter during back surgery.
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Sister Wives’ Kody Brown’s Worst Moment Wasn’t Even About His Failed Marriages
Sister Wives’ star, Kody Brown’s marriages have been heavily criticized, but his worst moment on the TLC show wasn’t about the wives at all.
“I think that if he had truly been watching out for me and my children,” Janelle explained on the TLC show, “he would have figured out a way to make it work for the whole family instead of having his rules and hanging out with the wife staying where he was respected and obeyed.”
Not only was Janelle married to Meri’s brother, her mother, Sheryl, eventually became the third wife of Winn Brown, who is Kody’s father.
Kody Brown Stopped Being Attracted To Christine Brown
Just one year after he married Janelle, Kody also spiritually wed Christine, who was raised in a polygamous household. She was just 19 when she joined the Brown family.
- She and Kody would go on to have six kids together: Aspyn, Mykelti, Paedon, Gwyndlyn, Ysabel, and Truely.
Christine admitted that she knew her marriage was over when Kody admitted he wasn’t attracted to her. “And it’s super embarrassing right? Ugh. I just got to thinking, ‘You know what? It really just goes both ways.'”
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Sister Wives’ Christine Brown’s Husband David Woolley Speaks Publicly About Their Marriage
The couple shared insight into their relationship after celebrating their one-year wedding anniversary.
After he said that, I was kind of like, ‘Oh, well then I’m done. Then it’s over.’
She continued, “‘It was almost a relief. ‘Well then I’m not going to keep fighting for this, and I’m not going to keep trying and I’m not going to keep doing this if you’re not attracted to me. So everything that I’ve done for you, for the family means nothing.'”
Similarly to Janelle, Christine and Kody would argue about COVID-19 protocols. Throughout Season 17, Kody voiced frustration that she was traveling across different states to see her children.
Kody said he was “turned off” by her “behavior,” comments she found angering and insulting. “I’m an adult. That’s just rude and belittling. No, how dare you. I was furious when he said bad behavior.”
Christine Brown has since remarried on Oct. 7, 2023, to David Woolley.
Collider reiterated that with Kody’s remaining marriage to Robyn crumbling, three divorces, and 19 seasons, many fans believe it’s time for the series to end on a high note while it still can.
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