The Untold Story of Kody, Robyn, and Meri - A Tale of Love and Heartbreak

The Complex Relationships of Kody, Robyn, and Meri

After 23 years of marriage, Kody and Meri Brown of Sister Wives called it quits, but Meri was the right woman all along. Meri was the first of Kody's four wives. She chose to live in a plural marriage for religious reasons but she and Kody, who have one child together, had struggled to make their marriage work.

meri brown sister wives meri brown in red blouse blue background featuring angry looking kody brown

The first season of the show featured Kody courting and marrying Robyn in 2010. She was the first wife to be added to the family in 16 years. Though the complex plural family had their fair share of problems, Kody's marriage to Robyn was what triggered their dissolution. Janelle and Christine, wives two and three respectively, felt that Kody was showing favorites to Robyn. For his part, Kody was open about the fact that Robyn was the only woman he loved.

Sister Wives' Kody Brown in suit looking concerned while his ex wives Janelle, Christine, and Meri appear in the background

Meri's Unwavering Support and Love

Despite the fact that Kody obviously neglected his marriage to his first wife, Meri, she never faltered in her support of him. Deeply committed to the religious principle of plural marriage, she was even the one who introduced Kody to Robyn and encouraged him to court her. Even after Kody told her that they'd never have a real marriage, she continued to hold out hope and stuck around long after her sister wives, Janelle and Christine, had left the plural marriage. Meri was also the only one to welcome Robyn warmly and continued to be close to her even after Kody rejected her.

Sister Wives' Meri Brown

The Heartbreaking End of Kody and Meri's Marriage

Though there are likely multiple reasons that Kody and Meri couldn't make their marriage work, the main reason is that Kody was never in love with Meri. Plural marriage is hard work, and it's even harder if the couple doesn't start off deeply in love. Both Kody and Meri started off their lives together more committed to the idea of plural marriage than to their specific marriage together. Kody's neglect of Meri made matters worse, and the contempt grew over the years.

During the final episodes of Sister Wives season 18, Meri revealed that she'd be open to another chance at finding love. After finally getting up the courage to separate from Kody, Meri walked away from their 32-year marriage and is bravely willing to take another risk with her heart, even after her catfishing experience a few years back. After being loyal to an unappreciative Kody for so many years, Meri deserves to find love.