Who Are Kody Brown’s Spouses, Kids?

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‘Sister Wives’ Family: A Guide to All of Kody Brown’s Spouses and Children

It’s a full home! Between his three spouses, one ex-partner and 18 youngsters, Sister Wives star Kody Brown has his palms full at residence.

The salesperson’s household grew to become the topic of intrigue when the primary season of the TLC actuality collection premiered in September 2010. At the time, Kody was courting Robyn Brown, his fourth spouse and the primary new partner to enter the household in 16 years.

Kody was legally married to his first spouse, Meri Brown, from April 1990 till their September 2014 divorce. While they’re not thought-about a wedded couple by regulation, they proceed to be “spiritually married.” However, their relationship hasn’t been clean over the previous a number of years.

“Meri and I have been in a very dark place for a very long time,” Kody informed Us Weekly solely in February 2021 forward of the season 15 premiere of Sister Wives. “It’s been more about trying to get ourselves out of this hole that we dug ourselves into. … I hope that some communication heals things. It’s been a long time and it’s been very difficult.”

Though issues between them aren’t all the time good, Kody mentioned that he cannot convey himself to utterly abandon any of his wives. (Along with Meri and Robyn, he additionally “spiritually married” his second and third wives, Janelle Brown and Christine Brown.)

“In plural marriage, I don’t feel like I’ve got the right to say, ‘This is over, this is ending,'” he informed Us on the time, acknowledging that there is a “double standard in some senses” within the polygamous neighborhood. “I feel like [my wives] need to understand that — that they can leave. If it’s not working for them, they can leave. Nobody’s going to be a prisoner here.”

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Trouble hasn’t solely been brewing between him and Meri, nevertheless. While his household adjusted to the coronavirus pandemic all through 2020, Kody seen a “psychic tension” between him and all of his spouses.

“I feel like my wives are living four separate lives, but I don’t feel like I’m living four separate lives,” he informed Us in February 2021. “I’m sort of strung out on this relationship conveyor belt. … In fact, it seems like my wives are in four different worlds. They’re all actually at different stages of their life. … It’s been a real challenge.”

In November 2021, Kody and his third spouse, Christine, introduced they referred to as it quits after greater than 25 years collectively.

“Christine’s decision to leave comes with a great deal of sadness,” Kody wrote in an announcement on the time, following Christine’s break up announcement. “We enjoyed many years together and I have a large amount of respect and admiration for her. Although we are moving forward on different paths, we will always remain committed parents.”

As Sister Wives grew extra widespread, the Brown household sparked loads of controversy. In 2011, they sued the state of Utah and challenged prison polygamy legal guidelines. The Browns have been profitable when the case was delivered to a district courtroom in 2013, however a three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals unanimously dismissed the lawsuit three years later.

Keep scrolling to study extra about Kody and his distinctive household.

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Kody Brown

The Wyoming native was raised Mormon by mother and father Genielle Brown and William Brown, who was additionally a polygamist later in his life and had three wives. “Every polygamous man has thought to himself how wonderful [monogamy] might be,” Kody informed Us solely in February 2021. “You know, ‘The grass is greener.’ … But every family in polygamy is very different.” 

Credit: Courtesy of Meri Brown/Instagram

Meri Brown

Meri, Kody’s first spouse, grew up in California in a household of 25 siblings. The pair have been launched by one in every of Kody’s sisters in 1989 and tied the knot in April 1990. They welcomed their solely little one 5 years later. Kody and Meri have been legally married till September 2014, once they acquired divorced to ensure that Kody to wed his fourth spouse, Robyn.

In February 2021, Kody informed Us that his relationship with Meri had been “in a very dark place” for fairly a while. “It’s been more about trying to get ourselves out of this hole that we dug ourselves into,” he defined. “I hope time heals things. I hope that some communication heals things. It’s been a long time and it’s been very difficult.”

In June 2022, Meri and Kody’s little one, Leon, got here out as transgender and queer. “I used to be fairly younger & sadly I grew up in a context that was extremely gendered & restrictive,” they wrote via Instagram, adding that they also go by “Leo” and prefer to use they/them pronouns. “So I continued to be socialized as a girl & later a woman. and here’s the thing, I’m finally ready to share my favorite self with the world. and that self is incredibly genderqueer, trans, and unapologetic.” Meri shared Leon’s put up through her Instagram story, proudly proclaiming, “You are my sunshine.”

During the Sister Wives: One-on-One particular in December 2022, Meri revealed that Kody “already decided” their destiny when he claimed he not “considered” the pair to be married. “We have a lot of history and I love him,” she mentioned throughout the tell-all. “And he has chosen not to love me and not to want a relationship with me.”

Credit: Courtesy of Janelle S. Brown/Instagram

Janelle Brown

Meri launched Kody to his second spouse, Janelle, who was not introduced up experiencing polygamy in her household. The couple have been “spiritually married” in January 1993 and later welcomed six youngsters: sons Logan, Hunter, Robert and Gabriel, and daughters Maddie and Savannah.

The Arizona resident beforehand informed Us in April 2020 that she thought “there would be more camaraderie” between her and Kody’s different wives in the event that they spent extra time collectively amid the COVID-19 disaster. “I really think it would have been easier to deal with being quarantined if we were all under one roof because we’re having to be so separate,” she mentioned on the time, noting that it might be “easier” for all of them in the event that they weren’t caring for “separate households.”

Janelle and Kody grew to become grandparents when Maddie and her husband, Caleb Brush, welcomed two youngsters of their very own: son Axel in January 2017 and daughter Evangalynn in August 2019.

In December 2022, Janelle confirmed throughout the Sister Wives: One-on-One particular that she and Kody had been “separated for several months.” Kody, for his half, confirmed the information, saying, “Yes, we’re separated. … Janelle has made it pretty clear to me that she’s enjoying her life without me.”

Credit: Courtesy of Christine Brown/Instagram

Christine Brown

Kody met Christine by means of her sister in 1990 and the pair grew to become quick mates. During their first date on Valentine’s Day in 1994, Kody proposed. They have been “spiritually married” one month later. Kody fathered one other six youngsters together with his third spouse: son Paedon and daughters Aspyn, Mykelti, Gwendlyn, Ysabel and Truely. In September 2020, Mykelti introduced that she was anticipating her first little one with husband Tony Padron.

Having grown up in a polygamous household, Christine needed the identical scenario for herself. “I only ever wanted to be a third [wife]. I never wanted to be a first, at all. … I only ever wanted to be a third because it sounded the easiest,” she as soon as mentioned. However, Kody informed Us in February 2021 that the dynamic was beginning to get “weird.”

He added, “It feels more and more like it’s just these independent relationships and we’re less and less a family.”

The twosome introduced in November 2021 that they have been going their separate methods. “After more than 25 years together, Kody and I have grown apart and I have made the difficult decision to leave,” Christine wrote in an announcement on the time. “We will continue to be a strong presence in each other’s lives as we parent our beautiful children and support our wonderful family.”

Credit: Courtesy of Robyn Brown/Instagram

Robyn Brown

Kody and Robyn, a divorced mom of three, met at church in 2009 and have been “spiritually married” one 12 months later. The duo welcomed son Solomon in October 2011 and daughter Ariella in January 2016.

In December 2014, Kody and Robyn have been legally married in order that Kody may formally undertake his fourth spouse’s youngsters from her earlier marriage: son David and daughters Aurora and Breanna. While talking with Us in February 2021, Kody hinted that he would possibly need to maintain increasing his blended household.

“I think it’s up to Robyn,” he mentioned on the time. “But whenever I ask her, she always goes, ‘Well, it’s up to us. We make this decision together.'”