"Content with my spiritual marriage" — Sister Wives star Robyn Brown reflects on not wanting a legal marriage with Kody

On the December 29, 2024, episode of Sister Wives, Robyn Brown shared her perspective on her 2014 legal marriage to Kody Brown, a pivotal moment in the family’s history. The marriage followed Meri Brown’s decision to legally divorce Kody so he could adopt Robyn’s children from her previous relationship.

Reflecting on this, Robyn explained during her confessional,

“I never even wanted to be legally married to Kody. I was content with my spiritual marriage.”

She elaborated that her spiritual connection with Kody was sufficient and that the legal step was not something she sought but accepted to support her children. The episode revisited the family’s reaction to this decision, with members sharing their thoughts on how it influenced their dynamics and relationships over time.

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Meri’s divorce and family reactions in Sister Wives

In 2014, Meri Brown made the decision to legally divorce Kody Brown to allow him to marry Robyn and adopt her children from a previous relationship. At the time, Meri explained her choice as an act of support for Robyn’s family, but the consequences were significant.

During the December 29 episode, Meri acknowledged that while she felt it was the right decision, it took a toll on her emotionally. Kody described the period following the divorce, sharing,

“Meri volunteered it, but for some reason, it still had an emotional impact on her because shortly after was when she went through the catfish experience.”

The catfishing incident, in which Meri was deceived by someone posing as a potential love interest online, occurred months after the legal divorce. Other family members, including Janelle and Christine, reflected on the divorce decision of Meri. Janelle admitted her surprise, saying,

“I was actually sort of speechless when she told us that she was actually doing it because I thought Meri would never do this.”

Christine added her perspective, recalling that Robyn had previously mentioned similar situations in other families where a wife’s legal divorce allowed a second wife to adopt children. This led to speculation that Robyn had influenced the decision, although Robyn denied this claim.

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Sister Wives star Robyn’s perspective on legal marriage

Robyn Brown addressed the family’s claims and shared her perspective on the legal marriage during the recent episode of Sister Wives. She firmly denied influencing Meri’s decision, stating,

“The allegation that I planted an idea in Meri's head is an absolute lie. Meri told me when she made the offer that. She had had the idea in her head to offer to give me the legal marriage so that Kody could adopt my kids.”

Robyn also explained that a legal marriage was not something she initially desired in Sister Wives. Reflecting on her past, Robyn expressed that she had been very happy and content with her spiritual marriage, adding that she did not feel the need for anything beyond that.

She revealed that her previous legal divorce had been a traumatic experience, which made her reluctant to pursue another legal marriage. Despite her reservations, Robyn accepted the arrangement to ensure her children were adopted and cared for.

Meri and Kody parted ways in 2023 after nearly three decades together, with Meri later seeking and obtaining an official termination of their marriage through their church, citing abandonment as the reason. In the months prior to Meri’s separation from Kody, both Janelle and Christine had also ended their marriages with him.

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Watch new episodes of Sister Wives airing every Sunday at 10 pm ET on TLC.