‘Sister Wives’ Stars Kody and Robyn Brown’s Relationship Timeline: Plural Marriage ‘Like Destiny’

Courting

At the beginning of Sister Wives in 2010, Kody and Robyn were only courting. He hadn’t courted a woman since his third marriage 16 years ​prior.

Kody admitted he was ​wary about getting serious with his now-spouse when they first met. “She looked like a soccer mom,” Kody said about Robyn on the show. “She had a van, three kids and was divorced. I thought, ‘I didn’t need a van, a divorced woman and three kids in my life — that’s just trouble.'”

For her part, Robyn was going through a tough time following her breakup. Her previous marriage to ex-husband David Jessop was not easy for either of them to get over.

“I was married before, and in that marriage, there was a lot of fighting and there was a lot of pain,” she said during an April 2021 episode of the TLC show. “I promised myself as I came out of my divorce, I was like, ‘If I ever marry again, I’m just going to be more cautious and more careful.’”

Robyn’s Life

Robyn actually grew up in a polygamist family but was last in a monogamous marriage with David, with whom she shares her first three kids.

Engagement

Meri, in particular, had encouraged Kody to court Robyn. In 2010, they got engaged, which was an adjustment for the whole family.

Wedding

Kody and Robyn were spiritually married on May 22, 2010.

Family

When Robyn came into the family, she joined Meri, Janelle and Christine and their large brood of kids.

Welcome

Kody and Robyn’s actual wedding was private and not televised, but they did have a reception that was caught on camera. At the reception, Meri, Janelle and Christine gave Robyn a Claddagh ring as a way to welcome her to their family.

Fleeing

Sadly, the family’s happiness at being together didn’t last long. They fled to Utah in 2011 under the threat of prosecution for polygamy.

Las Vegas

They re-settled in Las Vegas soon after, and Kody and Robyn made a home there along with the rest of the Brown family.

Cul-de-Sac

Eventually, the whole family ended up living in a cul-de-sac together, albeit in separate houses for each of the wives.

Pregnancy

In April 2011, Kody and Robyn announced they were pregnant with their first child together.

Baby Solomon

On October 26, 2011, Robyn gave birth to her son Solomon Kody in her home in Las Vegas. The whole family got to meet the baby right away and quickly accepted him as one of their own.

Legal Marriage

In December of 2014, Kody legally divorced Meri so he could marry Robyn and adopt her three kids as his own. Kody and his fourth wife were legally married on December 11, 2014. He and Meri still remain in a spiritual marriage.

Baby Ariella

In June 2015, Kody and Robyn announced she was pregnant again. Ariella Mae was born on January 10, 2016.

Leaving Las Vegas

The Browns announced in July 2018 that they were leaving Las Vegas and moving to Flagstaff, Arizona.

Flagstaff Move

The whole family moved that summer, which was rather emotional for Robyn. She reflected on that move while live-tweeting an episode of their series in March and wrote, “It was so stressful looking for rentals. I prayed and prayed we would all find something that worked for each of us #sisterwives.”

Separation Issues

Even though the family still resides in Arizona, Kody revealed he is no longer “an advocate” for the one home idea they had for their brood in season 14.

“Not going to consider it,” he tweeted about their plans to live under one roof with their own apartment-style sections on February 14, 2021. “Too much opposition … with gut-level emotions. So hard, so sad.”

Speaking Out

Amid the house drama, Robyn defended her relationship with Kody when a new season 15 episode aired. “I married Kody because I had a belief in Celestial Plural Marriage and I had a testimony that I belonged in Kody’s family,” she posted via Twitter. “It was a choice.”

Growing Together

The reality TV mom also highlighted how much she wants to build her bond with Janelle, Christine and Meri in another tweet.

“It is so, so, so important to me to have individual relationships with my sister wives. Relationships that have nothing to do with Kody or their relationships with Kody,” Robyn shared.

Taking a Stand

Kody corrected a misconception about his romance with Robyn in February 2021 after seeing a shady post from a naysayer, reading, “Things went downhill when Robyn joined the family but that’s not all Robyn’s fault. Kody was so obviously in lust with Robyn he neglected his other wives.”

“Hey, JACKWAGON! You never [knew] this family without Robyn,” Kody fired back. “She has blessed us as each wife would agree.”

Cameras Rolling

Robyn followed up with her own message about the hardships of documenting their lives on a TV show. “Living in secrecy most of my life was very hard, and I am so happy that my family and I get to be open about who we are.  It hasn’t been easy, but it has been worth it,” she tweeted. “A lot of families do not get to be open and do not get to own who they are.”

Bigger Brood?

Although Robyn and Kody’s relationship hasn’t always been perfect, they are still going strong and previously considered expanding their family.

“I’m 41 years old. Like, there’s a biological clock ticking,” she said in a season 15 episode. “I’m not getting younger. We can’t sit here and stall out on this if this is what we’re going to do.”

Latest Drama

In season 16, the Brown family dealt with an issue that has long been discussed among fans: Robyn being considered the No. 1 wife.

“It’s pissing me off, they’re looking to Robyn for some kind of approval,” Kody said. “I don’t have a head wife in this family.”

Season 16

Meanwhile, Christine opened up about what upset her prior to her split announcement in November 2021 after nearly three decades of being with Kody.

“Why would I want to live on the same property with a dysfunctional marriage where right over there, he’s got a full-functioning marriage,” Christine admitted on the show. “Who would ever want to live like that?”

Tension Among the Wives?

Robyn came under fire by the other wives during season 16 when it was revealed that she had a nanny coming to her house, despite Kody’s tight rules amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“I’m just gonna say it out loud. I know everybody’s suspicious of me. Please stop. Don’t be suspicious,” Robyn clapped back at Meri, who tried “teasing” her about the COVID-19 rules she presented to the group. “Just realize that Kody has made these rules.”

Awkward Dynamic

Paedon Brown called his relationship with Robyn “strange and weird” following his mom Christine’s split from Kody.

“I was rude to her kids,” he said of Robyn in February 2022. “I saw my dad doing things with them that he didn’t do with me. And so, I ended up being rude to them, so she didn’t like me being rude to her kids.”

Silver Linings

Some family members have very positive relationships with Robyn’s kids, like Meri and Breanna.

“This sweet soul has constantly shown me kindness and love through the years, and always has a smile and a hug for me,” Meri gushed over Robyn’s daughter while celebrating her graduation in May 2022. “It’s been a pleasure watching her grow from a little girl to a young woman with the world at her fingertips.”

Second Thoughts

After Kody’s split with Christine and Janelle, a source told In Touch exclusively that the Brown household was “a mess” and Robyn starting to question her marriage.

“Kody is happy with Robyn and that’s what he’s concentrating on, but who knows how long that will ultimately last?” the insider said in December 2022.

Although the insider claimed Kody was focused on Robyn, there was still bad energy in their home. “[The] Brown household is like a house of cards, perpetually on the verge of crumbling,” the source added.

Looking For More Wives

In January 2023, a source exclusively told In Touch that Kody was searching to add another wife to his family.

“He’s a proud polygamist, that’s the lifestyle he’s accustomed to and in his mind,” the insider explained, noting that he wouldn’t be “happy” if Robyn remains his only wife.

‘Basically Monogamous’

Kody gave an update about his relationship with Robyn in a Cameo video made for a fan that began to circulate via TikTok in March 2023.

“Robyn and I are basically monogamous,” the father of 18 said. “Don’t let that out, that’s probably a spoiler, but it seems obvious with the new season coming.”

Kody jokingly added that he doesn’t “have any recommendations” about becoming a polygamist and admitted he was “not sure” if trying to talk your spouse into plural marriage is “a good idea.”

Mourning Amid Monogamy

Kody admitted that he and Robyn were struggling in the wake of his splits from his former three sister wives during a December 7, 2023, interview with People.

“We’re still in a deep state of mourning, if you will,” Kody told the outlet, adding, “We are not recovering from this.”

Despite their struggles, Kody is not “interested” in adding another wife to the family, saying he fears he wouldn’t love another woman as much as he loves Robyn on the show’s December 17, 2023, episode.

Robyn, on the other hand, seemed less confident in her ability to remain monogamous with Kody.

“I want to say yes, but I just don’t know how this works exactly,” she said, adding that it feels “disrespectful” to be happy with Kody without the approval of her former sister wives.