A family divided? The polygamous Brown family of Sister Wives may be losing yet another sister wife in the upcoming season 17 of the show. In a July 2022 preview, three wedding rings that encompassed one of the letters in the show’s title dwindled down to just two as one of the bands fell and hit the floor.
With husband Kody Brown only currently in a relationship with three of the four original sister wives, Janelle Brown, Meri Brown and Robyn Brown, the teaser seems to hint that the show might capture another split.
Following that, Meri shared a Instagram photo of her without her wedding ring in August 2022, something that a few eagle-eyed fans pointed out in the comment section.
“We have just one life,” Meri shared in the caption of the post. “Make it count, live it to the fullest every day. Do the things that matter to you!”
In season 16 of the TLC show, there was no shortage of drama for the family as they navigate tension, perceived favoritism and more.
When viewers last caught up with the stars, they were as distanced as ever living in separate homes within about 15 minutes from each other in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Janelle decided that she wanted to bring the heads of the family together so they could figure out how to maintain a strong bond with each other despite the distance.
“You know, we had this whole idea, ‘We gotta get on the property.’ And I don’t think that’s the right goal. But I think the situation really is that we’ve sort of become lackluster about our relationships. We need to fix things now,” Janelle said in her confessional on season 15 premiere in February 2021. “I just get really frustrated because I feel like we signed up for something when we decided to be a plural family, and it just seems we’re all sort of like, ‘Whatever, let’s just let it happen. We’re gonna just roll with it,’ and I don’t like that. So, I’m going to have a conversation with my family.”
Janelle arranged for a sit-down lunch with Kody and fellow sister wives Meri, Christine and Janelle.
Her main purpose for the family meeting was to ask everyone to remember why they chose to live the plural lifestyle.
“I did it because I loved the whole idea of the family and this whole group synergy. I really felt like we would get progression, right? The whole idea is we overcome our crap,” Janelle said.
Meri added, “I don’t know. I guess for me, it was just like being raised in it.”
“I liked the example that my grandmas were, for sure,” Christine chimed in. “They were just really close, and after my grandpa died, they just stayed together. So, I like the sisterhood.”
Robyn said, “The big family thing was always really cool to me. I loved when I first met you guys, how you guys functioned. I loved it.”
Kody, who shares 18 kids with his spouses, also said it was a thought he often pondered over. “I’ve thought about this a lot lately. Because I’ve told friends that I didn’t want to be an advocate of plural marriage anymore because I am more aware now than I ever was before [of] the apparent and obvious unfairness in the relationships,” the reality star said. “I know I have all the love I want, and you guys sometimes feel like you are pining constantly for me to give you some.”
Kody elaborated more about his disdain for plural marriage in his confessional and shared why he felt it could be a source of frustration at times.
“We came into this by way of commandment. We felt like we were supposed to live it, and we had an ideal that it was the better way. And come to a stark reality of the struggle that it is,” he said. “In that vein, I want to go to my wives and say, ‘Did you marry me because you thought you would have a good life and a loving husband and a good relationship with me, or did you marry me because your religion commanded it?”
Kody, Robyn, Meri, Christine and Janelle each got extremely candid with each other about the reality they’re facing during their conversation, and this season will finally show what happened between them next.
Keep scrolling below to find out if Kody is still together with his four wives Meri, Janelle, Christine and Robyn.
