One of Kody Brown‘s four marriages has come to an end. The Sister Wives star’s third wife, Christine Brown, broke the news on Tuesday, Nov. 2 that the longtime couple split. “After more than 25 years together, Kody and I have grown apart and I have made the difficult decision to leave,” Christine, 49, said on Instagram. “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.”
Christine thanked her fans for their “understanding and compassion” in the caption of her post. She also included the hashtags “journey”, “hope”, “change”, “change is good”, and “change is scary.”
Kody, who shares six kids (five daughters and one son) with Christine, said on Instagram that it was “Christine’s decision” to end the longtime marriage, and that it “comes with a great deal of sadness.” He added, “We enjoyed many years together and I have a large amount of respect and admiration for her. Although we are moving forward on different paths, we will always remain committed parents.”
Now, Kody has three wives instead of four. His marriages to first wife Meri Brown and second wife Janelle Brown came before he wed Christine. In 2010, he got married for a fourth time to Robyn Brown. Kody — who has 18 children total — is only legally married to Robyn, while the other marriages are considered “spiritual unions.”
The polygamous relationships have been explored on the Brown family’s hit TLC reality series. It premiered back in September 2010, and its 16th season starts on Sunday, November 21.