The inside story of Kody Brown and his exes: All about the 'Sister Wives' patriarch ahead of Season 19
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: Kody Brown is now down to just one wife. The star of TLC's popular reality show 'Sister Wives' is no longer married to three of his partners, as they have all separated from him in recent years.
In January, Meri Brown revealed that she and Kody were no longer married, stating he decided to end the relationship. This came a year after Christine Brown and Kody announced their divorce, ending over 25 years of marriage. Shortly after, Kody and Janelle Brown also confirmed their separation. With the Brown family undergoing significant changes over the past year, here's an updated look at Kody's relationships with each of his wives as 'Sister Wives' prepares for Season 19.
'Sister Wives' star Kody Brown hurls insults at Meri Brown
Meri remains spiritually wedded to Kody, with whom she was lawfully wed from 1990 to 2014. In January 2023, the two released a joint statement announcing their decision to "permanently terminate" their marriage. A year later, in January 2024, Meri shared on Instagram that she had entered a romantic relationship with a man named Amos, but the couple parted ways after just four months of dating.
In the newly released teaser for 'Sister Wives' Season 19, Kody bluntly criticizes his marriage to Meri, stating, "What sucks is not the divorce but marrying the wrong person," delivering the harsh remark directly to her face.
Kody continued to hurt Meri with his harsh comments, claiming their marriage had been troubled from the start. Unsurprisingly, after the trailer's release, Kody gave Meri the cold shoulder, telling her to blame herself if he no longer loved her after 32 years of being together.
Throughout most of the teaser, Meri tries to defend their nearly four-decade-long relationship, visibly hurt by Kody's cutting remarks. Fans who have followed their journey from the show's beginning know that, despite Kody's claims, his actions ultimately fractured what was once a united family.
Over the past several seasons, Kody's disgusting cruel streak against Meri has grown considerably, but it has just served to highlight his sorrow for ruining his family. At one point, the wives formed a coalition, informing each other about their marital status with Kody. However, Meri openly admitted that she wouldn’t be taking sides.
Kody took his insults to a new level when he directly told Meri, "What sucks is not the divorce but marrying the wrong person," further degrading their marriage. In response, Meri firmly stated, "I'm not gonna be in the ex-wives club, I'm not gonna be in the Kody and Robyn club."
Meri's comment highlighted her complex position within the Brown family, as she was neither fully accepted by Robyn and Kody nor by Janelle and Christine. Despite her efforts to maintain her role as the first wife, Meri now faces the challenge of finding a new path forward.
Kody has consistently attacked Meri, making claims ranging from that he never loved her to asserting that he married the wrong person. Meri's declaration that "I need a man" jumped out in the 'Sister Wives' Season 19 teaser, and given how Christine's life has altered after meeting David Wooley, Meri deserves some fresh love in her life as well.
'Sister Wives' star Janelle Brown is ready to stand up to Kody Brown
In 1993, Janelle entered a spiritual marriage with Kody. During the December 2022 special 'Sister Wives: One-on-One', Janelle confirmed that they had been separated for a few months. TLC's trailer for 'Sister Wives' Season 19 shows Janelle prepared to confront Kody head-on. She points out his failure to communicate with her and even threatens to seek legal counsel to resolve the ongoing dispute over Coyote Pass.
Despite enduring years of mistreatment from Kody, Janelle is now taking steps to reclaim what is rightfully hers. Her decision to confront Kody and hold him accountable requires remarkable bravery.
'Sister Wives' star Christine Brown has moved on from Kody Brown
Christine and Kody entered a spiritual marriage in 1995. In an April 2021 episode of 'Sister Wives', Christine admitted she "can't do marriage with Kody anymore," leading her to end their relationship and move to Utah in November 2021. By early 2023, Christine publicly announced her relationship with David Woolley, and they were married in October 2023.
'Sister Wives' star Robyn Brown feels like the only 'idiot' still married to Kody Brown
In 2014, Robyn became legally married to Kody after four years of dating. Admittedly, he was with her the most during the group's emotional struggles during the coronavirus epidemic.
In the Sister Wives Season 19 teaser, Robyn accused Kody of undermining their union, expressing that she felt like "the idiot who got left behind." That could strike as somewhat odd coming from someone who professed to "speak Kody." Robyn gradually became Kody's favorite wife, a role that involved consistently treating him like a king and refraining from challenging his decisions.
Robyn's boost to Kody's ego left the self-centered family patriarch believing that Meri, Janelle, and Christine should also revere and exalt him. Robyn claimed she was in the marriage for the sisterhood, but deep down, she desired Kody all to herself. As Kody's true colors have emerged, Robyn has come to realize that she did not sign up for the kind of committed relationship she now finds herself in.
Robyn stood by Kody despite being fully aware of the emotional, mental, and physical turmoil he inflicted on the original spouses. It seems she has come to realize that Kody was not the gem she once believed him to be and is now ready to move on.
Robyn seeks freedom, happiness, and independence—qualities she may have seen in the three OG Sister Wives. David and Christine are enjoying a happy marriage, while Janelle finds freedom now that she is no longer in a polygamous union. Additionally, Meri is also thriving without Kody's involvement in her life. He's still accusing his wives of betraying him in 'Sister Wives' Season 19. "They have all betrayed me."
Kody believed he was infallible and thought that any negative feelings from his wife and kids should be their fault, not his. Despite Robyn's significant efforts to be Kody's "best customer," she now faces the challenge of managing him on her own, which has proven to be quite demanding.
Kody’s self-love seems to have overshadowed his ability to genuinely care for others. Robyn must have noticed this as she grew increasingly unhappy with his company and their attempts at a monogamous relationship. Feeling like Kody’s sole target for his frustrations, Robyn is growing weary of the situation each day.
Kody and Robyn are unlikely to divorce, despite the marital issues portrayed in 'Sister Wives' Season 19. The only scenario that might lead to a change in their status is if Kody decides to take on a younger wife. Robyn continues to portray herself as a victim to garner sympathy. 'Sister Wives' fans will soon see just how far Kody and Robyn will go to present themselves as victims to avoid being vilified this season.
'Sister Wives' on TLC will return for its 19th season on September 15, 2024, at 10 PM ET.