The Enigmatic World of Kody Brown's Polygamous Family: A Comprehensive Guide to Spouses, Exes, and Children

Sister Wives celebrity Kody Brown is managing a busy life with his wife Robyn Brown and his three ex-partners, Meri Brown, Janelle Brown, and Christine Brown.

Kody's family, consisting of a total of 18 children, became the center of attention in September 2010 with the premiere of Sister Wives. During that period, Kody was in the process of pursuing a relationship with his fourth wife, Robyn, while still being legally married to his first wife, Meri.

Kody divorced Meri in 2014 in order to marry Robyn legally and adopt her three children from a previous relationship. Despite maintaining spiritual unions with Meri, Janelle, and Christine, his relationships with them quickly deteriorated.

"I perceive that my wives are leading four distinct lives, whereas I do not feel the same way," Kody revealed exclusively to We in February 2021. "I am overwhelmed by this constant rotation of relationships... In truth, it appears that my wives exist in four separate realities."

Christine, Janelle and Meri announced their respective splits from Kody in November 2021, December 2022 and January 2023.

Keep scrolling to learn more about Kody and his unique family:

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'Sister Wives' Family: A Guide to All of Kody Brown's Spouses, Exes and Children

Sister Wives star Kody Brown has his hands full with wife Robyn Brown and his three former partners, Meri Brown, Janelle Brown and Christine Brown.

Kody's family, consisting of a total of 18 children, gained attention in September 2010 with the premiere of Sister Wives. During that time, Kody was in the process of courtship with his fourth wife, Robyn, while still being legally married to his first wife, Meri.

In 2014, Kody divorced Meri in order to legally marry Robyn and adopt her three children from a previous relationship. Despite maintaining spiritual unions with Meri, Janelle, and Christine, their relationships gradually became less fulfilling.

"I sense that my wives are leading four distinct lives, yet I don't feel the same way about myself," Kody revealed exclusively to We in February 2021. "I feel caught up in this never-ending cycle of relationships... In truth, it appears that my wives exist in four separate realms."

In November 2021, December 2022, and January 2023, Christine, Janelle, and Meri revealed their individual separations from Kody.

Keep scrolling to learn more about Kody and his unique family:

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Kody Brown

The Wyoming native was brought up in a Mormon household by Genielle Brown and William Brown - his father, who later became a polygamist and had three wives. "Every polygamous man has pondered the allure of monogamy," Kody expressed exclusively to Us in February 2021. "You know, they think, 'The grass is greener.' ... But every polygamous family is truly unique."

Credit: Courtesy of Meri Brown/Instagram

Meri Brown

Meri, Kody's first wife, grew up in California as one of 25 siblings. They were introduced in 1989 by one of Kody's sisters and married in April 1990. Their only child was born five years later. Kody and Meri were legally married until September 2014, when they divorced so that Kody could marry his fourth wife, Robyn.

In February 2021, Kody revealed in an interview that his relationship with Meri had been facing significant challenges for quite some time. He described it as being in a "very dark place" and expressed hope that time and communication would help to heal their difficulties.

In June 2022, Meri and Kody's child, Leon, publicly expressed their identity as transgender and queer. They shared on Instagram that their upbringing was heavily influenced by gender norms, but now they embrace their true self as genderqueer, trans, and unapologetic. Leon, also known as Leo, prefers to be addressed with they/them pronouns. Meri proudly shared Leon's post on her Instagram story, showing her love and support by declaring, "You are my sunshine."

During the Sister Wives: One-on-One special in December 2022, Meri opened up about her relationship with Kody. She revealed that Kody had already made a decision that he no longer considered them to be married. Meri acknowledged their shared history and expressed her love for him during the tell-all, but recognized that he had chosen not to reciprocate those feelings or pursue a relationship with her.

Meri and Kody issued a joint statement in January 2023 to officially announce their separation. "Having invested over ten years in nurturing our relationship through our individual methods, we have reached the unanimous conclusion to permanently dissolve our marital bond," the statement expressed.

Credit: Courtesy of Janelle S. Brown/Instagram

Janelle Brown

Meri introduced Janelle, Kody's second wife, to him. Unlike Meri, Janelle did not grow up in a family that practiced polygamy. The couple exchanged a spiritual marriage ceremony in January 1993 and went on to have six children together: sons Logan, Hunter, Robert, and Gabriel, and daughters Maddie and Savannah.

In April 2020, the Arizona resident expressed her belief that there would be better unity and understanding between her and Kody's other wives if they spent more time together during the COVID-19 crisis. She mentioned that being quarantined together in one household would have been easier than maintaining separate households, as they are currently doing.

Janelle and Kody entered the role of grandparents when their daughter Maddie and her husband, Caleb Brush, celebrated the arrival of their two children: son Axel in January 2017 and daughter Evangalynn in August 2019.

During the Sister Wives: One-on-One special in December 2022, Janelle openly disclosed that she and Kody had been living apart for a significant period of time. Kody echoed this revelation, acknowledging their separation by stating, "Yes, we're separated... Janelle has made it apparent that she's finding joy in her life without me."

Credit: Courtesy of Christine Brown/Instagram

Christine Brown

In 1990, Kody and Christine were introduced through her sister and quickly became close friends. Their first date on Valentine's Day in 1994 led to Kody proposing, and just a month later, they entered into a spiritual marriage. Over the years, Kody and Christine welcomed six more children together: Paedon, Aspyn, Mykelti, Gwendlyn, Ysabel, and Truely. Exciting news arrived in September 2020 when Mykelti announced her pregnancy with her husband Tony Padron, marking the couple's first child.

Having been raised in a polygamous household, Christine desired to replicate that lifestyle for herself. She candidly expressed her preference, stating, "I solely desired to be a third [wife]. Being a first wife was never my intention... I chose to be a third wife because it seemed like the simplest option." Nevertheless, Kody, in an interview with Us in February 2021, acknowledged that the dynamic was becoming unsettling. He further shared, "It increasingly feels as though we have separate relationships rather than functioning as a unified family unit."

The couple made an announcement in November 2021 revealing their decision to part ways. In a statement at that time, Christine expressed, "After being together for over 25 years, Kody and I have grown apart, and I have made the tough decision to move on." Despite the separation, they are committed to remaining involved in each other's lives as dedicated parents to their beautiful children and as supportive members of their loving family. Christine found happiness once again when she got engaged to David Woolley in April 2023, and they officially got married the following October.

Credit: Courtesy of Robyn Brown/Instagram

Robyn Brown

Kody and Robyn, a mother of three who has gone through a divorce, first crossed paths at church in 2009. A year later, they made a spiritual commitment to each other and eventually welcomed their son, Solomon, in October 2011. Their daughter, Ariella, was born in January 2016.

In December 2014, Kody and Robyn decided to legalize their union. This allowed Kody to formally adopt Robyn's children from her previous marriage: David, Aurora, and Breanna. During an interview with Us in February 2021, Kody subtly expressed his desire to continue expanding their blended family.

"I think it's up to Robyn," he said at the time. "But whenever I ask her, she always goes, 'Well, it's up to us. We make this decision together.'"

In this article

Christine Brown

Janelle Brown

Kody Brown

Meri Brown

Robyn Brown

Sister Wives