Since hitting our TV screens in 2010, Sister Wives has produced a slew of notable moments, but Christine Brown’s dramatic split from Kody Brown has to be near the top of that list. It was a jaw-dropper! But a social media post from the reality TV star had her fans talking yet again. She revealed that she found a new partner, and people went crazy at the news. But now her love life is making headlines again, and she says this time, it's a forever thing.
Valentine’s Day announcement
Christine first shared the news about her new boyfriend on Instagram, posting it with impeccable timing on Valentine’s Day, 2023. She lavished her new love with praise throughout the message, much to the delight of her dedicated followers.
They had reasons to be cheerful — after all, Christine’s personal life had been in an uncertain place prior to the heartwarming announcement.
Reflective mood
Coming off the back of a unique relationship, Christine was in a reflective mood for much of the aftermath.
She’d also realized just how challenging it can be to leave that life in the rear-view mirror: as she and Kody had enjoyed quite the history together since it all started back in the 1990s.
“Spiritual marriage”
Christine and Kody had come together in 1994 and went on to bring six children into the world. Their names are Paedon, Aspyn, Truely, Ysabel, Mykelti, and Gwendlyn.
Yet the pair weren’t legally wed: it was a “spiritual marriage.” You see, Kody is a practicing Mormon, and he already had two other wives at that stage. He’d first stood at the altar in April 1990.
Kody’s other wives
Kody had exchanged vows with Meri Brown that day, before engaging in a “spiritual marriage” with Janelle Brown in January 1993. Then, after welcoming Christine into his family the following year, he found a fourth partner over a decade later.
Her name’s Robyn Brown, and she joined the group in May 2010. Like we noted earlier, it was a unique situation!
“Love should be multiplied”
Now, while polygamy isn’t legal anywhere across America, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints doesn’t take issue with its followers going down that path. And Kody, who’s part of an offshoot from the church known as the Apostolic United Brethren, had this to say on the matter.
He declared to the media, “Love should be multiplied, not divided.”
Becoming TV stars
Despite the arrangement’s dubious legal standing,TV channel TLC created a reality show about Kody and company in 2010. Since then, Sister Wives has been going strong for over 200 episodes, with the 17th season dropping in 2022.
Mind you, fans were left shell-shocked when Christine shared an announcement on Instagram in November 2021.
“Difficult decision”
Christine revealed, “After more than 25 years together, Kody and I have grown apart and I have made the difficult decision to leave. 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.”
More drama
And the surprises didn’t end there for fans of Sister Wives. While season 17 was still airing, both Meri and Janelle revealed that they’d left Kody as well.
Due to the timing, though, neither of those splits were covered in the recent episodes. But Christine’s decision to leave did play a major part.
“A major injustice”
Yep, Kody couldn’t hide his disappointment in the episode that aired on September 18, 2022. He bemoaned, “This feels like a major injustice that’s being done to me, and it galls me.
I just can’t let it go. I don’t know why it’s such a struggle. It’s curling my toes. I need some grief counseling or something. I don’t know what’s going on here with my attachment. I can’t let go.”
“Choice for happiness”
Christine also shared her thoughts during a chat with Robyn, Janelle, and Meri in the episode from October 2, 2022. She said, “It’s no secret that Kody and I have been in a rough spot for a long time.
I’ve decided to leave Kody. It’s a hard decision. I need to make a choice for happiness. I need to make a choice to have joy in my life, and there hasn’t been a lot of hope at all until I decided to leave.”
A new life
“I feel strongly this is the best choice for me,” Christine added. And her stance remained the same when she spoke to People magazine in August 2022.
By that stage, she’d been single for several months and was now living with her daughter Truely in Salt Lake City, Utah. The mom-of-six beamed, “My whole world has changed, and every single cell in my body is happier.”
Where did it go wrong?
Where did it all start to go wrong for Christine and Kody? How long had she been unhappy?
Well, the Sister Wives star went into more detail on that front during her candid chat with the publication. In her mind, the relationship had begun to fracture back in 2018 after she’d done some soul-searching at home.
“I stopped believing”
“I started thinking maybe this isn’t working for me,” Christine recalled. “And then I stopped believing in polygamy.
I realized I didn’t really want to live it anymore. I didn’t like sharing a husband or feeling like I wasn’t important.”
Future plans?
As the conversation continued, Christine started to look ahead to the future. Was she interested in finding a new partner?
The TV star had told People, “I would love to date. [I] love the idea of having a romantic partner. But I talked to Truely about it the other day and she’s like, ‘Mom, I really like our life how it is now.’ Down the road. I’m just going to let fate take care of that one.”
“A monogamist from here on out”
Yet having said that, Christine did reveal what she was looking for in a potential romance. She added, “I want a guy who actually loves me and wants to be with me intimately.
I will be a monogamist from here on out.” Some two months on from that chat, she then shared an update in a different interview in October 2022.
An interesting update
Speaking to Us Weekly magazine, Christine admitted, “I’m just casually dating [at the moment]. I’m not in the mood for any kind of a serious relationship, so one or two dates per person is all I’m gonna allow right now.
[I’m] just keeping it casual. I really just like being me more than anything.” But while she seemed to be enjoying life as a singleton, it wasn’t all perfect.
“Starting over is hard”
As we alluded to earlier, Christine recognized the challenges of leaving a long-term relationship in the aftermath of her split, especially a polygamous one. She opened up about that on the Sister Wives episode that aired on November 27, 2022.
The mom-of-six said, “No one ever wants to leave a marriage. I’m leaving broken hearts behind and that’s what’s hard. Starting over is hard.”
Tantalizing news
Yet in January 2023 — having told Us Weekly that she was only interested in “casual” dates just a few months before — Christine offered a tantalizing bit of news on her Instagram page. Despite all of the internal challenges she’d been dealing with, she was finally ready to search for love again.
The reality star was finding it a little tough, though!
“Dating online is crazy!”
Christine wrote, “I’m dating again! Holy.
Hell. Awkward. Dating online is crazy! Any advice for dating at 50?!” That update was well received by her Instagram followers, with the post earning over 150,000 likes and generating close to 9,000 comments. And they didn’t have to wait long until the mom dropped another tidbit, this time on Instagram Stories.
An intriguing secret
Yes, on February 8, 2023 Christine informed her fans that she was now “exclusively” seeing a guy. But she chose to keep his identity a secret in that post, only going so far as to describe how great he was.
The reality TV veteran sure knew how to build anticipation! Then, she signed off with an exciting promise.
Christine’s excitement
“[My new boyfriend is] wonderful and romantic and so kind, and everything I’ve been looking for,” Christine enthused. “He’s absolutely a dream come true.
And I'm so excited to show you guys pictures and everything in a little bit.” Sure enough, on Valentine’s Day she provided further details about the romance.
“Love of my life”
Staying true to her word, Christine shared some photos that had been taken of her and her new partner on Instagram. In the accompanying post, she wrote, “I finally found the love of my life, David.
The first time he held me close, it felt like my soul took its first breath. He’s wonderful and kind, incredible with my children and an adorable grandpa.”
The perfect romance?
Christine then added, “I never dreamed I could find a love like this.” Following more than a year alone, her search for the perfect romance was seemingly over.
The Valentine’s Day update generated a huge response on the social media website, with users keen to share their reactions. Their investment was clear for all to see!
Massive reaction
Yep, Christine’s Instagram post has earned in excess of 577,000 likes, while generating over 40,000 comments. One fan’s message read, “Oh Christine, I cannot love this post enough.
You are so deserving. Wishing you many wonderful days together!” That wasn’t the only positive comment, either: there were countless others echoing the sentiment. Plus, the reveal didn’t just cause a buzz on social media.
Lots of press coverage...
Outlets such as People, In Touch Weekly, and The U.S. Sun all covered the story on their respective websites in February 2023.
The last also went on to share more information about Christine’s new boyfriend in a different article a few days later. And it’s fair to say his life up to now has been a complete contrast to that of a reality television star!
David’s story
His full name is David Woolley, and he’s originally from San Diego, California. Today, he lives in Herriman, Utah, where he owns and runs a local manufacturing firm.
As for his personal life, David has eight kids of varying ages, alongside some grandchildren. The entrepreneur’s previous marriage ended in heartbreak, though: his wife passed away back in 2012.
“Soulmate”
But in Christine, David believes that he’s found that special someone to love again. He even went so far as to call her his “soulmate” in a cute Instagram post.
And the Sister Wives star hasn’t been shy in sharing more snaps of her beau on the website, either. Their smiles in one lovely photo at dinner were an absolute treat!
Loving life
Christine has continued to post about her blossoming relationship with David. She shared photos of a trip they took in March 2023.
She couldn’t help but rave about her new relationship and how much she was enjoying life now. It was clear the pair were only growing closer, and fans have kept rooting for her happiness and waiting for updates. But many weren't prepared for the one Christine had in store.
Jaw-dropping announcement
Christine stunned her fans with an announcement on April 13th, claiming that she and David were ready to take the next step. The couple posed grinning in an Instagram photo, but all eyes went straight to the diamond glittering on Christine's ring finger.
The lovebirds were engaged!
"Bliss every day"
Christine gushed in her caption, "We’re engaged! David popped the question VERY romantically, and I said YES!
I’m so excited and just live in bliss every day!" Fan reactions to this big news have been relatively positive, but some couldn't contain their surprise at how quickly Christine's new relationship seems to be moving.
Treated like a queen
In an exclusive to PEOPLE, Christine explained the decision to make things official. "David treats me like a queen and tells me I'm beautiful every day," she continued, "I've never been in love like this before, and the world seems like a brighter place with him in it."
That was certainly in high contrast to the heartache fans watched Christine endure over the seasons of Sister Wives. Still, they hope she proceeds with caution.
"The luckiest guy in the world"
David also posted about their engagement, writing on Instagram, "Every day when I look at you, I can’t believe I am the luckiest guy in the world because I have you. You are the most loving and caring person I have ever met."
The tender words earned glowing approval from fans who long have championed Christine finally getting the love she deserves. Now, they are waiting to see how others from the show respond to the news.
Kody's reaction
Many flocked to the comment section on Christine's post to congratulate the engaged couple, but several pointed out the lingering question in the air. How is Kody taking the news?
As of yet, Brown hasn't spoken about his ex-wife's latest development. Though fans have already guessed he won't be throwing rice anytime soon. But those who follow the show already know Christine isn't the only one to move on from Kody.
Calling it quits
Kody confirmed the news that he and Meri were no longer "spiritually married" in a Meri-focused episode of Sister Wives: One on One, saying, "If [Meri] wanted to move on and marry another, she wouldn't get an argument with me." But he didn't get to have the final word.
Meri soon stepped up to tell her agonizing truth about the decades-long relationship.
A shocking decision
Meri's first reaction to the break-up was confusion — and perhaps a little hurt. After all, Meri seemingly heard about the news while recording Sister Wives: One on One.
She actually had to watch a clip from season 17 of Sister Wives to hear Kody confirm their split. “He just made the decision,” Meri said immediately afterward. “I’ve never heard him say that to me.”
Confusion and surprise
Meri was particularly puzzled by Kody's tactics considering how upset he had been when Christine — one of his other wives — had divorced him in 2021. She said Kody had complained, "She just made this decision.
We didn’t consult, we didn’t talk, she just made the decision." Meri added, "And then he says, ‘No, I don’t consider myself married to Meri.’” But it's not as though the pair had enjoyed the perfect marriage.
A different lifestyle
Meri and Kody actually got married in 1990. “I was a little taken with Kody right off the bat,” Meri revealed in the Browns' 2012 memoir, Becoming Sister Wives.
The couple had one child together, Leon Brown, in 1995. But as Meri grew up in a polygamist environment, it should come as no surprise that other women had already been introduced into the relationship by this point.
Just the five us
In 1993 Janelle entered the picture, followed just one year later by Christine. Janelle had the "strangest feeling" of attraction when she first met Kody, and Christine had crushed on the man since she was 18 years old.
So even though Kody remained legally married to Meri, he was now spiritually married to Janelle and Christine. But that changed when Robyn entered the picture in 2014.
Trouble in paradise
Robyn became Kody's fourth wife — but in a twist, he legally divorced Meri so that he could be married to Robyn in the eyes of the law. Meri said at the time that she allowed this to happen because Robyn's three kids could then access the Browns' insurance policy.
Of course, though, Kody still insisted that he was spiritually wed to all of the women. But then in 2015 Meri was part of a major scandal.
Meri found solace online
It turned out that Meri had started a relationship with someone online. "At the very beginning, this person was fun, funny, just good conversation," Meri later explained on Sister Wives.
"At first, it was kind of cool just to have that companionship, I guess." But Meri had been deceived. She thought her online crush was a man — but it was actually a female fan.
A catfishing scandal
"I cared about who I thought she was portraying him to be, because I have a trusting heart and a loving heart," Meri said of the relationship, adding, "The feelings that I had were confusing." When news of the catfishing scandal broke, Meri and Kody sought to rebuild their relationship in therapy.
But it seems that this online affair may have been the beginning of the end.
Living together apart
Meri revealed in a 2022 episode of Sister Wives that she and Kody had not had sex in more than ten years. "I miss physical intimacy with him," she said.
But Kody, it seemed, did not. "I'm not going to ever be in a conjugal relationship with her because I'm not going to go through that emotional torture ever again," Kody said. "There's a point where intimacy is just damage."
Lasting scars
It all came back to the catfishing scandal. Kody claimed that he didn't feel "safe" in his relationship with Meri any more — and that it was the catfishing that had made him realize this.
“(It) turned out to be extremely exploitative and abusive. And from that experience, Meri and I sort of saw our marriage just dissolve," Kody said on Sister Wives. Yet the pair remained together for a while.
All was not well
But in an October 2022 episode of their show, Meri and Kody revealed that they weren't in a good place. "My relationship with Kody has not improved as far as, like,a husband-and-wife relationship," Meri said.
"That's not something that he's interested in. I mean, it just is what it is. It's where we are." And Kody seemed to wholeheartedly agree with that assessment.
Friends not lovers
"I feel like my relationship with Meri is very good but it's not a married situation," Kody said. "It's an amiable relationship, but I don't think it's a fulfilling relationship for Meri, not in any way."
But that's not actually how Meri saw it at the time. "Does that mean we’re just not married anymore? That's not how I consider it. I feel like we’re still married," she said in a follow-up episode. She was seemingly determined to stick it out, too.
Scenes from a marriage
“I don’t feel jealous of Christine that she’s leaving and I can’t, because I can," Meri said. "I can do whatever I want. My strength is sticking around and seeing if Kody would be willing to work on a relationship.
So I leave that door open, but I’m not pining away for it.” For Kody, though, that door would forever remain shut.
Kody got real
"I don't really consider myself married to Meri," Kody told the Sister Wives cameras. He added, "I don't believe that we can ever be functional, and I don't believe that I will ever be emotionally safe with her."
The polygamist also reflected that he found it "ironic" that Meri wanted to work on their relationship while he had no interest in it any more. It was this interview that led to Meri telling her side of the story.
A painful split
For Meri, then, the news was seemingly at odds with what she believed had happened in the previous years. "Even since being in Flagstaff, he has led me to believe that he was trying," she said in a December 2022 episode of Sister Wives: One on One.
The polygamists had moved to Flagstaff in 2018. Meri added, "Our first anniversary that we had here in Flagstaff [was], 'Cheers to a new beginning!'" But not any more.
Decision to leave
On their latest anniversary, Meri said, Kody told her, "I don’t even know why you called me, Meri." She revealed that he said, "We’re not married.
We’re not acting as married." And that brought them to a fork in the road. She exaplined, "I said to him then, "If that’s where we are, don’t you think that we should address that publicly?'"
Scared of judgment
"And he said, 'No, I don’t want to address it. I don't want to address it, I don’t want that to be out there publicly because I don’t want that judgment,'" Meri explained.
The host of One on One then asked, "Where does that leave you? Are you still married to Kody? Or, do you get to decide?" And Meri was forthright with her answer.
It's over
"Well, he’s already made the decision," Meri said. "You just saw him say that."
Yet even after all of this, Meri was seemingly unwilling to close the door forever. "Would you ever think about reconciliation?" the host asked. "I would," Meri answered. "I definitely would. But I don't think that he's interested." And from what Kody said afterwards, she was probably right.
Kody's version
In a subsequent episode of One on One, Kody and Meri offered further details about their crumbling relationship. "We have a lot of history, and I love him," Meri said.
"He has chosen not to love me and not to want a relationship with me and so far, as to consider himself not married to me. So I think that's what we're sitting with." But Kody claimed that the split had been a long time coming.
Trouble from the start
"I married Meri, and it was a hard relationship from the very beginning," Kody said. He stated that part of the problem was that they had started their marriage while still young and that they had perhaps tried to "establish a family" too soon.
And he believed, looking back, that bringing another woman into their relationship had been a bad idea.
The other woman
Janelle was the first woman to be brought into Kody and Meri's plural marriage. And at first, Kody said, this relationship was "a blessing of dilution" because "it diluted this relationship [he] had with Meri."
In the end, though, Kody realized that they were just "bringing more people into a problem." He even called it "weird as Hell" when Janelle moved in with him and Meri.
More relationships, more problems
"I'm in an established relationship with somebody that I don't even get along with and then I bring somebody else in and then now it's triangulating," he continued. "And then we bring Christine in and that seemed to calm it, because we started having children and we seemed to have this more unified focus, even though the strain was perpetual."
But it wasn't to last.
A long-gone fairytale
"This was happening from the day or the week or the month or whenever, after me and Meri had our honeymoon period," Kody said. "We were in the storm."
But while these episodes were being aired — and creating headlines — Meri railed against the allegations in an Instagram post. "There's so much more to the story," she teased.
Her truth
"Not all is always as it seems," Meri wrote in the caption. "Often, we accept a version of a story as truth because it fits the narrative we've created, or what we want to believe.
It's not always about what you're looking at but also where you're looking from. Everyone has their own experiences and their own truths. Remember, no matter how flat the pancake is, it always has two sides."
The other side of the story
Meri delved deep into her feelings on the matter in a third installment of Sister Wives: One on One. "I don’t think Kody realizes the [queen] that I am," Meri said in the January 2023 episode.
"And if he hasn’t realized it so far, you know, maybe he never will. Maybe he doesn’t want it." She was perhaps more philosophical than you'd expect, too.
Time are a-changin'
"People change," she said. "Maybe he is just at this place that like, ‘She’s just not for me anymore.’ And he’s now finally just saying that."
And when asked about whether she'd consider waiting to see if Kody changed his mind, she said, "Time will tell. It’s for me to decide [if I’ll wait]. He’s decided, so now what?" Kody also seemed to be in a period of reflection.
A U-turn
"I'm right on the verge of not even being a polygamist," Kody said on the show. "And that’s been part of my identity for 30 years.
These days I’m thinking about, well, it’s good today but I really miss the past too. I’m really looking back a lot. Missing some of the past and regretting a bunch of it." But then this has arguably been a lifestyle change he's been forced to make.
From four to one
Meri isn't the only one of the "sister wives" to split from Kody, after all. Christine picked up sticks in November 2021 and Janelle confirmed her break from Kody around the same time as Meri.
In December 2022 Janelle said that the pair had been "separated for several months." That only leaves Robyn — and Meri seemed to think that is exactly what Kody wanted.
Robyn is the focus
"Robyn is the one that he is most comfortable with," Meri said on Sister Wives: One on One. "I have seen Kody be more comfortable with different ones of us throughout the years.
It’s not always exactly, exactly equal. It really just is based on who you have a good relationship with." Kody and Meri followed the episode with an announcement, too.
A statement of intent
Meri posted a joint statement on her Instagram feed with the caption, "Today I reclaim my power." The statement read, "In light of a recent unapproved press release, we feel compelled to share our own truth, in our own way, and in our own timing.
After more than a decade of working on our relationship in our own unique ways, we have made the decision to permanently terminate our marriage relationship."
Moving on
"During this process, we are committed to kindness and respect toward each other and to all members of our family," the statement continued, "and we are also committed to the continued healing of any and all relationships within the family so that we can move forward with forgiveness, grace, and love."
But in the Instagram caption, Meri teased that there was still more to the story.
Telling her story
Meri said they had decided to make their own statement after a false report in the press. "The information, content, and timing was inaccurate and was based on a highly edited version of events that had been filmed months prior," Meri said.
"In the months since the taping of those interviews, Kody and I have had many open and honest discussions that have led to our announcement today." But she revealed there was "so much more to be told."
More to the story
"I assure you, my truth will be told," Meri wrote. "But for now, know that there is peace in my heart, and I hold no animosity toward Kody.
I am not, and pray that I never will be, in a place where I will enjoy making, or seeing you make, rude and demeaning comments about him." Meri had also previously spoken about her dreams for the future.
Looking to the future
"As we begin 2023, my thoughts have been a lot on dreams," Meri wrote. Her inspirational message was meant to inspire her fans to follow their hearts to achieve their personal goals in 2023.
"Every one of us is WORTHY of what we want. It's not selfish to have a dream, desire, or goal," she said. But an unexpected twist in this tale arrived in mid-January that could have thrown all of Meri's plans out of whack.
A stunning allegation
Paedon Brown is the biological son of Christine and Kody and sometimes star of Sister Wives. And in January 2023 Paedon made some shocking allegations when he appeared on a live stream with a reality TV commentator called John Yates.
Paedon said that he and his siblings "were never safe around" Meri. He didn't hold back with his opinions, either.
An abusive relationship
The 24-year-old seemed to claim that Meri took a stern hand with him and others in the family. "Abrasive is not enough of a word to describe what Meri was to a few of us children specifically," he said.
He also claimed that Meri's discipline "moved so far past verbal" — though he stopped short of going into full detail. But he did claim that he was grateful to Robyn.
Robyn saved lives
"Robyn probably saved several of our lives," Paedon said. "Not definitely, but very maybe."
He said this because, he claimed, Robyn had "opened several eyes" to Meri's alleged behavior. Paedon said Robyn could do this because she "was in an abusive relationship with her ex" and "knew how to find other abusive relationships." He further claimed that to say more would be to "really, really, hurt the show."
Meri speaks out
Meri didn't respond directly to these allegations — but she did share a carefully worded Instagram post after they surfaced.
"Spent birthday #52 with a couple of my favorite people in the world," she shared, adding, "On days like these, I'm reminded again of the humanity of people with good and honest hearts, the friends who have your back and stand up for you, and general goodness in the world."
A "bright future"
"So grateful for friends who I can be myself with, who know my heart and my true self, and cheer for me for my bright future," she shared. "I have so many things to be grateful for.
So many good things in the works for the coming year. So much promise, hope, and light. And today. I'm so grateful for today."
More to follow
The drama has not come to an end yet, and there is no word about whether Sister Wives will be picked up for another season. But fans of the show — and the unfolding scandals — took hope from a TikTok message posted made by Christine in December 2022.
She said she was "definitely not leaving Sister Wives" and that she was filming the video from "the set from my home."