Kody Brown never envisioned divorce as part of his life. In the Sept. 22 episode of Sister Wives, Kody opens up about his failed marriage with Meri Brown, reflecting on the challenges they faced. “There’s a lot of wisdom we missed out on in our relationship,” he admits.
Kody explains that he didn’t fully understand who Meri was when they got married. “She changed over time,” he shares. “There were issues she had that I wasn’t aware of at first, but I thought I could manage them. But living with constant anger wasn’t something I could handle.”
Kody clarifies that Christine, Janelle, and Meri all chose to have him leave their homes, leading to their separations, leaving him only married to Robyn Brown
His comments follow Meri’s decision to seek a formal “release” from their 32-year marriage through their church, the Apostolic United Brethren. However, Kody disagrees with this approach, stating, “The damage is beyond repair, and reconciliation isn’t possible. I don’t want to be tied to this church and its rules.”
When discussing plural marriage within their religious community, Kody reveals that once a man is married, he’s bound to the marriage. “In plural marriage, if a man remains faithful, he can’t ask for a divorce. It’s against the rules. I couldn’t leave that relationship,” he explains.
Despite this, Kody acknowledges that he didn’t necessarily want to leave. “I kept hoping we could fix things, that there was a chance to save our relationship,” he confesses. “I tried to start fresh many times, but every time we were together, it wasn’t pleasant. I was bored, and Meri wasn’t kind or fun to be around. I think Meri felt abandoned.”
Kody clarifies that it wasn’t his decision to leave their home. “Christine, Janelle, and Meri all chose to have me leave,” he states. Kody and Meri publicly announced their separation in January 2023, following Christine and Janelle’s earlier decisions to end their marriages with Kody. He is now only married to his fourth wife, Robyn Brown.
“I’m not trying to play the victim,” Kody insists. “I never intended to leave, even though I didn’t love them. But they made their choices, and maybe I made mine, and we eventually grew apart.”
Speaking about Robyn, Kody emphasizes his loyalty to her, noting that she has always been loyal to him and her sister wives. Yet, he believes their family’s downfall isn’t about assigning blame, but rather about the choices they made.
“We chose this path,” Kody concludes. “When we made good choices, we were a happy family. When we made poor ones, we weren’t. But everyone is on their own journey, and I hope they all find happiness in the end.”
