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Are Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar Still Married? Inside Their Marriage Amid Family Fallout
Times are changing. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar became household names thanks to their hit TLC show 19 Kids and Counting, but are they still married? Get updates amid the family fallout thanks to the Duggar documentary, Duggar children’s memoirs and more.
Are Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar Still Married?
The couple – who got married in 1984 – are still together as of publication. After 19 children, hit reality TV shows, family legal issues and more, the couple have maintained their marriage. In addition, the religious organization to which they subscribe – the non-denominational Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP)– looks unfavorably on divorce.
What Is Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s Life Like Today?
Though many of their children have grown up, gotten married and moved out of the family home, Jim Bob and Michelle are still in full time parent mode. With four children still under the age of 18 as of publication – Johannah, Jennifer, Jordyn and Josie – the duo have more courtships, weddings and family events in their future. They still live at the extensive family property in Tontitown, Arkansas, and are said to be extremely involved in the IBLP community.
In fact, former friend Bobye Holt claimed during the bombshell documentary Shiny Happy People that Jim Bob and Michelle have effectively replaced the organization’s former leader, Bill Gothard, who stepped down in 2014 after a string of sexual assault allegations.
“Because Mr. Gothard has been taken out of [IBLP], from what my understanding is, is that Jim Bob and Michelle are now his replacement,” Bobye said after being asked by a producer if she believed the Duggar patriarch was “trying to emulate Bill Gothard.”
Bobye’s husband, Jim Holt, added, “[Jim Bob] has changed so much, I don’t know if he’s even the same guy that I knew.”
Do Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar Want More Children?
Though they became famous for their extensive family, Jim Bob and Michelle have stopped having children. Michelle’s 2009 pregnancy with youngest child Josie was ultimately life-threatening, with the mom of 19 undergoing an emergency C-section due to the baby’s preeclampsia – a condition that causes high blood pressure. Michelle’s final pregnancy came in 2011, and she sadly experienced a stillbirth.
Have Any of the Duggars Gotten Divorced?
Despite many of the Duggar brood getting married in their early 20s and having children as young adults, the existing marriages within the famous family have stayed intact. The union that is arguably under the most amount of strain in Josh Duggar and Anna Duggar’s marriage, as the father of seven is currently serving out his prison sentence at Federal Correctional Institute (FCI) in Seagoville, Texas, after being found guilty of receiving child pornography.
“Anna doesn’t want to get her hopes up, and while he’ll always be the father of her children, she’s not sure if there is a future with Josh,” a source exclusively told In Touch. “As far as I know she still communicates with Josh, but in her heart, all she has left is her children and her faith.”
Though they are still together as of publication, the former reality star is said to be “constantly praying” about the “future” of hers and Josh’s marriage, another insider exclusively told In Touch in January 2023.
“Anna is still very much questioning their future,” the source shared. “She took her wedding vows seriously and she wants to stand by her man and all that, but the reality of her situation is very difficult.”
“She’d be lying if she said she hasn’t questioned her future with Josh,” the source added. “Anna married Josh for better or worse and it can’t get any worse than this.”
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