01of 09
Meet the Browns!
Puddle Monkey Prods/Kobal/Shutterstock
The Brown family has long captured public attention as the stars of the TLC seriesSister Wives, providing a glimpse into the unconventional lifestyle of their plural family for more than a decade.
02of 09
Meri Brown
03of 09
Meri Brown (Cont.)
Kody and Meri Brown.Ida Mae Astute/Walt Disney Television via Getty
The pair’s relationship is currently strained, with Kody revealing thatthey rarely see each othersince they “quit dating” after he stopped pursuing her.
They’ve experienced a number of ups and downs over the years, starting with their divorce, which Meri found more difficult to process than she’d anticipated.
Just a few months later in October 2015, they were caught up in acatfishing scandalwhen Meri revealed she’d been in an online relationship with someone she thought was a man – but was actually a woman. The couple tried therapy afterward to rebuild their marriage,though they remain on the rocks.
04of 09
Janelle Brown
Three years after tying the knot with Meri, Kody and Meri introduced Janelle into their marriage. Kody’s union with Janelle remains a “spiritual marriage,” and the pair have welcomed six children together: sons Logan, Hunter, Robert and Gabriel as well as daughters Madison and Savannah.
05of 09Janelle Brown (Cont.)Brown family.TLCJanelle spoke candidly on the show about the changes in the plural family dynamic since the crew’s move from Las Vegas to Flagstaff, Arizona, in the summer of 2018.“Our family has been feeling really challenged since we came to Flagstaff because we’ve had to be in four separate homes,” Janelle explained. “I’m very worried, because it looks like it’s going to even be more separation,” she added at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the family hunkered down to avoid potentially spreading the virus among households.
05of 09
Janelle Brown (Cont.)
Brown family.TLC
Janelle spoke candidly on the show about the changes in the plural family dynamic since the crew’s move from Las Vegas to Flagstaff, Arizona, in the summer of 2018.
“Our family has been feeling really challenged since we came to Flagstaff because we’ve had to be in four separate homes,” Janelle explained. “I’m very worried, because it looks like it’s going to even be more separation,” she added at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the family hunkered down to avoid potentially spreading the virus among households.
06of 09Christine BrownKody’s romance with third wife, Christine, was a whirlwind. The pair were first introduced in 1990, and after developing a friendship, they went on their first date on Valentine’s Day in 1994 — when Kody proposed. The couple “spiritually married” the following month, and went on to welcome six children together.Christine grew up in a polygamous family and knew she would pursue the same structure 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 previously said on the show.Ahead of season 10, Christine revealed that her and Kody’s relationshipwas on the rocks, admitting, “I freakin' want to move back to Utah, even though the girls don’t want to.“On Nov. 2, 2021, she and Kodyannounced their separationon Instagram.“After more than 25 years together, Kody and I have grown apart and I have made the difficult decision to leave,” she said in a statement. “We will continue to be a strong presence in each other’s lives as we parent our beautiful children and support our wonderful family. At this time, we ask for your grace and kindness as we navigate through this stage within our family.“On his own account, Kody added, “Christine’s decision to leave comes with a great deal of sadness.” He continued, “We enjoyed many years together and I have a large amount of respect and admiration for her.”
06of 09
Christine Brown
Kody’s romance with third wife, Christine, was a whirlwind. The pair were first introduced in 1990, and after developing a friendship, they went on their first date on Valentine’s Day in 1994 — when Kody proposed. The couple “spiritually married” the following month, and went on to welcome six children together.
Christine grew up in a polygamous family and knew she would pursue the same structure 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 previously said on the show.
Ahead of season 10, Christine revealed that her and Kody’s relationshipwas on the rocks, admitting, “I freakin' want to move back to Utah, even though the girls don’t want to.”
On Nov. 2, 2021, she and Kodyannounced their separationon Instagram.
“After more than 25 years together, Kody and I have grown apart and I have made the difficult decision to leave,” she said in a statement. “We will continue to be a strong presence in each other’s lives as we parent our beautiful children and support our wonderful family. At this time, we ask for your grace and kindness as we navigate through this stage within our family.”
On his own account, Kody added, “Christine’s decision to leave comes with a great deal of sadness.” He continued, “We enjoyed many years together and I have a large amount of respect and admiration for her.”
07of 09Christine & Kody’s KidsChristine Brown/InstagramChristine and Kody share six children together: son Paedon and daughters Aspyn, Mykelti, Gwendlyn, Ysabel and Truely. Aspyntied the knotwith husband Mitch Thompson in June 2018, and Mykelti welcomed her first child with husband Tony Padron in April 2021.
07of 09
Christine & Kody’s Kids
Christine Brown/Instagram
Christine and Kody share six children together: son Paedon and daughters Aspyn, Mykelti, Gwendlyn, Ysabel and Truely. Aspyntied the knotwith husband Mitch Thompson in June 2018, and Mykelti welcomed her first child with husband Tony Padron in April 2021.
08of 09
09of 09
Celebrating Utah Decriminalizing Polygamy
The current season of the show sees the Brown family celebrating the May 2020 decriminalization of bigamy in Utah. The family, who had previously sued the state to legalize polygamy, originally left Utah for Las Vegas in 2011 out of fear of persecution for their plural family structure.
“This is news we’ve hoped to actually give our kids for 10 years or more,” Kody said on the show.
“This change in polygamy law is hard-earned and way overdue as the polygamist community in Utah has been marginalized for over a century. I feel that this is just the first step to destigmatize plural families,” Kody explained.
source: people.com
