TLC
Sister Wives’ Janelle Brown Opens Up About Leaving Husband Kody After 30 Years: ‘I’m Happy’
Speaking her piece. Sister Wives star Janelle Brown opened up about the end of her marriage to husband Kody Brown during the Sunday, January 8, episode, after In Touch exclusively revealed the pair had split.
“I’m not waiting for him. I’ve kind of mourned that that part of our life is gone,” Janelle, 53, explained during a private interview, noting that she and Kody had been separated for “months” at that point. “I wasn’t heartbroken. It wasn’t heartbreaking for me like it was for Christine [Brown]. I just mourned that that life was gone. We had a great run.”
Janelle admitted that her commitment to Kody came from “duty” and “faith” but “not love,” adding, “I think if we both sat down we’d look at each other and say … really? Kody and I have been separated and I’m happy, I’m really happy.”
The TLC star’s statements come after In Touch exclusively confirmed the couple had called it quits on December 9.
“Janelle is a strong independent woman and realized she can do it on her own,” a source told In Touch at the time, adding that Janelle “outgrew” her husband.
Janelle joined the Brown family in 1993 when she spiritually wed the polygamous patriarch that January. At the time, Kody was legally married to his first wife, Meri Brown, whom he wed in April 1990. Shortly after Janelle, Christine joined the growing family in a spiritual ceremony in March 1994, followed by fourth wife Robyn Brown in May 2010. Following Janelle’s exit, Kody remains spiritually wed to Meri, whom he divorced in 2014 in order to legally marry Robyn and adopt her children from her previous marriage. Christine left the family in November 2021.
In the nearly 30 years that Janelle and Kody were married, they welcomed six children together: son Logan Brown in May 1994, daughter Madison Brown in November 1995, son Hunter Brown in 1997, son Garrison Brown in October 1998, son Gabriel Brown in 2001 and daughter Savanah Brown in December 2004.
The former couple’s relationship began to unravel amid the coronavirus pandemic due to Kody’s strict rules put in place to allow the family to continue to visit each other. Janelle – along with former sister wife Christine – butted head with the businessman over his guidelines.
During a January 2022 episode of the family’s TLC series, Janelle claimed that Kody implied she wasn’t “being careful” regarding sons Gabe and Garrison’s social lives.
“I think you understand the big picture that I have, and I want you to just respect that, OK?” Kody said at the time, to which Janelle told him to “f–k off.”
Janelle ultimately spent Thanksgiving with her children away from the rest of the brood, which she seemingly did again in 2022 as she shared a photo of their “Thanksgiving crowd.”
“Grateful for family and friends,” she captioned the group photo which was shared via Instagram.
Despite spending the majority of her life as one of Kody’s wives, Janelle previously reflected on whether a polygamous lifestyle is for her going forward.
“I’ve caught myself in the last few weeks really reflecting and being like, ‘OK, look: do I still choose plural marriage?’” she said in a January 2022 episode. “Yeah, I still choose it, but I’ve had to [make] that conscious decision with myself.”
“I’ve had to really think. My children are almost grown and there’s not a huge necessity anymore to stay. It was a wonderful way to raise children,” she added at the time. “With Kody and I right now, our relationship is pretty strained. And you know, it’s easy to walk away.”
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