Kody Brown's Complex Relationships: Unveiling the Latest Dynamics with his Sister Wives - Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn

Kody Brown's relationships with his wives Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn have experienced various highs and lows. However, it came as a surprise to many viewers of Sister Wives when almost all of his wives began to leave him.

TLC introduced the Brown family to their fans in 2010. At the time, Kody was legally married to Meri and spiritually married to both Janelle and Christine. The first season of the show documented the introduction of Robyn into the family. In 2014, Kody divorced Meri in order to legally marry Robyn and also adopt her three children from a previous marriage.

Kody informed We in February 2021 that several of his relationships were facing challenges. He emphasized that his wives should recognize their freedom to leave if the situation no longer served them, emphasizing that no one would be held against their will. Consequently, Christine took the first step and publicly announced her departure from Kody in November 2021. This was followed by Janelle confirming her separation in December 2022 and Meri doing the same in January 2023. As a result, Robyn became Kody's sole remaining wife.

Scroll down for a status update on Kody’s marriages:

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Kody Brown’s Status With His Sister Wives and Exes: Where He Stands With Meri, Janelle, Christine and Robyn

Kody Brown has experienced both highs and lows in his relationships with his wives, Meri Brown, Janelle Brown, Christine Brown, and Robyn Brown. However, fans of the show Sister Wives were taken aback when most of his wives began to leave him.

The Brown family was first introduced to TLC viewers in 2010. At that time, Kody was legally married to Meri and spiritually married to Janelle and Christine. The first season of the show documented Robyn's entrance into the family. Eventually, Kody divorced Meri and legally married Robyn in 2014, also choosing to adopt her three children from a previous marriage.

In February 2021, Kody revealed to We that he was facing difficulties in some of his relationships. He emphasized that his wives should understand that they have the option to leave if things aren't working out for them. He made it clear that he doesn't want anyone to feel trapped or imprisoned in their marriage.

Following this, Christine made the decision to be the first wife to leave Kody, publicly announcing their split in November 2021. Janelle confirmed her separation in December 2022, and Meri followed suit in January 2023. As a result, Robyn now remains as Kody's only wife.

Scroll down for a status update on Kody’s marriages:

Credit: Courtesy of Meri Brown/Instagram

Meri Brown

Meri was legally married to Kody from 1990 to 2014 and remains spiritually married to him. However, she recently revealed in the trailer for the 16th season of Sister Wives, which premiered in November 2021, that she has contemplated leaving Kody due to their turbulent relationship. This admission comes after her previous statement in December 2020, where she affirmed her commitment to staying with him.

In her own words, Meri expressed her love for Kody and acknowledged that as a family in the public eye, they are subject to speculation and opinions. Despite the ups and downs they have experienced over the years, she emphasized her dedication to him and her family. Meri highlighted their ongoing struggles, the importance of communication, and the willingness to repair relationships. As an independent individual, she emphasized her presence and commitment, dispelling any notions of her leaving.

Following the public revelation of Kody and Christine's separation in November 2021, a source close to them disclosed to Us that Kody and Meri have had no significant relationship in recent years. The insider alleged that their togetherness is merely a façade for the sake of television.

The ups and downs of Meri and Kody's relationship continued to be featured prominently in the seventeenth season of the series, which premiered in September 2022. In an episode that aired in October 2022, Meri shared that Kody had suggested she relocate to Utah to manage her bed and breakfast after the passing of her mother.

The mother of one was taken aback by the notion of living apart from him and their family. Meri, holding back tears, expressed her surprise and disappointment during a confessional. "I was there from the very beginning. I played a part in building this family. It was him and me, and we had plans. He loved me," she said. "So, for him to suddenly suggest that I just go away, it doesn't make sense."

Meanwhile, Kody spoke to the cameras, explaining his reasoning. "The suggestion of living separately is not meant to push Meri away. It's just that, as a family, it feels like our interactions are limited," he said.

During the season 17 finale in December 2022, Kody admitted that he had no intention of repairing his relationship with Meri. Meri expressed her concern during a confessional, drawing attention to the similarities between Kody's interactions with Christine and herself. She found it unsettling that Kody expressed frustration towards Christine for things that he also did to her. Meri remarked on the irony of the situation, as she attempted to support Kody despite his disinterest in being in a relationship with her.

In the first part of the Season 17 Sister Wives: One-on-One special, Meri confirmed that she and Kody were no longer a couple. She mentioned that Kody had made the decision without consulting her. Meri expressed that although she felt Kody was making an effort when they initially moved to Arizona in 2018, their relationship quickly fell apart.

In January 2023, Kody and Meri issued a joint statement announcing their permanent decision to end their marriage.

Credit: Courtesy of Janelle Brown/Instagram

Janelle Brown

In 1993, Janelle entered into a spiritual union with Kody. When asked about their relationship dynamics in March 2021, she revealed that Kody maintains a clear distinction between his relationships with his other wives and her. Janelle expressed her preference for limited discussion of the other wives with her, as she believes it is crucial to focus on building an individual connection with Kody.

Concerns regarding Janelle's relationship status with Kody emerged in June 2021 after she revealed her living arrangements in an RV. In the season 16 preview, she conveyed her frustration with Kody prioritizing Robyn during the COVID-19 pandemic. "I've reached my limit with all this nonsense," she expressed.

According to an anonymous source who spoke to Us in November 2021, Janelle and Kody's connection is more akin to a friendship. "They share a respectful relationship," stated the source. "Janelle is extremely adaptable and tends to be more laid-back."

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In September 2022, when season 17 premiered, Janelle and Kody appeared to have a fairly amicable relationship. However, they did have arguments regarding Kody's strict COVID-19 measures and his level of support for Janelle's decision to stop living in the RV during the summer of 2022.

During an October 2022 episode of the series, which was filmed in the summer of 2021, tensions arose between the couple. Kody expressed his desire for his remaining sister wives to adhere to traditional roles after Christine's departure, stating that he wanted to regain authority as the head of the household. He made it clear that he would not tolerate any circumvention of patriarchal practices, leaving the wives to consider conforming to his expectations.

Janelle, on the other hand, expressed her disagreement with her husband's new ideologies, stating to the cameras, "I didn't expect to be a part of a patriarchal system. That's not what we agreed upon initially."

Throughout season 17, tensions between the couple escalated. One major point of contention was their sons Garrison and Gabriel, whom Kody believed were not adhering to his COVID-19 regulations. "It's been like a civil war, affecting the entire family," Kody remarked during the season finale in December 2022. "I find myself questioning which side Janelle supports."

Janelle admitted that she was unsure about committing to "doing the work" to fix both the plural family and her marriage. She expressed feeling torn between her children and the group, stating that she doesn't believe her children are accepted. As a result, Kody and Janelle decided to separate for a few months, as confirmed by Janelle during December 2022's Sister Wives: One-on-One special.

Credit: Puddle Monkey Prods/Kobal/Shutterstock

Christine Brown

Christine entered into a spiritual union with Kody in 1995. However, in November 2021, she made the difficult decision to terminate the relationship and move to Utah. This choice was preceded by her candid admission during an episode of Sister Wives in April 2021, where she revealed that she could no longer sustain a marriage with Kody. Adding to her distress, Christine expressed to Us magazine a month earlier that she felt as though her voice had been stifled within the family dynamic.

In March 2021, she expressed her doubts during crucial decision-making moments, questioning the significance of her own opinions. This lack of empowerment led to the most challenging times for her.

In the 17th season of the show, viewers witnessed the last stages of Christine and Kody's marriage, capturing their separation in 2021. During an episode in September 2022, Christine admitted that she didn't want to feign happiness on what should have been their 27th wedding anniversary.

She explained that she no longer considers herself married to him and rarely wears their wedding rings. She sees them as a burden and feels relief when she takes them off.

In an episode from October 2022, Kody expressed his sadness about the end of their marriage. He admitted to living in a delusional world where he wished Christine hadn't left. He is now struggling with feelings of regret and frustration. The situation has caused him to question the idea of being in a plural marriage and even his faith. He feels that the message they once had about functional polygamy now seems dysfunctional.

Christine announced in early 2023 that she was dating David Woolley. They got married in October 2023. 

Credit: Puddle Monkey Prods/Kobal/Shutterstock

Robyn Brown

Robyn and Kody got legally married in 2014 after being together for four years. During the coronavirus pandemic, Kody spent the most time with Robyn as the group faced challenges in their dynamic. In March 2021, Kody shared that he was open to having more children with Robyn. He jokingly mentioned that he enjoys teasing his adult children about the possibility of having more kids and challenging them. However, Robyn does not find it amusing and sees it as him being a jerk. He also playfully mentions that he could potentially have children younger than his adult children.

By November 2021, it appeared that the Brown household's strongest couple was Robyn and Kody. According to a source, the other wives couldn't compete with Robyn, as she seemed to have a strong hold on Kody. Their love for each other remained intact.

During season 17 of the show, Kody spent the most time with Robyn, but his issues with Christine started affecting his relationship with his fourth wife. In a September 2022 episode, Robyn expressed her longing for her husband and shared that whenever she tried to talk to him, she faced his anger. Despite her attempts to communicate with both the sister wives and Kody, she felt ignored and powerless.

In this article

Christine Brown

Janelle Brown

Kody Brown

Meri Brown

Robyn Brown

Sister Wives