Inside Kody And Christine Brown's Shocking Split

"Sister Wives" stars Kody and Christine Brown have had a tumultuous ride together. The reality TV couple first shocked the world in 2010 with their polygamous lifestyle, as husband Kody boasted four wives and 18 children! But after a hectic time together, it seems Kody is now down to just three wives, as third wife Christine is now calling the relationship quits.

It all started in 1990 when Kody first tied the knot with Meri Barber, whom Kody claims tricked him into marrying her. He officially codified polygamist ways in 1993, when he got married a second time to Janelle Schriever. They say the third time's the charm, but not so much for Kody, as his third marriage with Christine Allred is now coming to an end. Married in 1994, Kody's marriage with Christine would be his final marriage until 2010, when he married Robyn Sullivan.

The hit TLC show took viewers by storm with its complex storylines and kept fans guessing about who is Kody's so-called favorite wife (many think that's wife #4, Robyn, btw). In February, first wife Meri shocked the world when she revealed that her marriage with Kody was "dead," per Fox News, and now it seems more marital troubles are coming Kody's way.

After a 25-year marriage and an 11-year run on "Sister Wives," Christine Brown is calling it quits. The third wife of main star Kody Brown, Christine made the announcement via Instagram, writing, "After more than 25 years together, Kody and I have grown apart and I have made the difficult decision to leave." She noted that the two "will continue to be a strong presence in each other's lives as we parent our beautiful children and support our wonderful family." She concludes by asking fans "for your grace and kindness as we navigate through this stage within our family."

In a Twitter statement, Kody chimed in, stating, "Christine's decision to leave comes with a great deal of sadness." He further added, "We enjoyed many years together and I have a large amount of respect and admiration for her" and that "although we are moving forward on different paths, we will always remain committed parents." Did you catch that hint of shade? Kody made it clear it was Christine's "decision," although some might argue he gave her no other choice.

In March, Christine lamented about her marital problems with Kody, telling Us Weekly, "The thing that I struggled with most is when I feel like I don't have a say or when I feel like I'm not as important or things like that." She further added, "Anytime we've had major decisions, I go through a time where I'm like, 'Does my opinion really even matter here?' That's when we struggle the most."

While the Kody and Christine Brown breakup is undoubtedly devastating, sources close to Christine note that it has been a long time coming. Speaking to Us Weekly, an insider couldn't feign surprise at Christine's ultimate reaction to Kody's polygamist ways. "It's no shock. She's been in the process of leaving him for a while," the source divulged. "The big reason why she split from him is because Kody has been completely devoted to Robyn [Brown] for the past five or six years. That hasn't changed at all."

Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic affected millions of people's relationships, but Kody reportedly took it a bit further, viewing lockdown as "his ticket to freedom." The source continued, "Kody has not been around at all. He used COVID-19 as a big excuse to not be around family... This destroyed Christine because she really tried to give her all to the marriage."

And while Christine previously shared that she loves the freedom of being in a polygamous relationship, her lack of devotion to the concept of polyamory is what likely caused the huge rift between her and Kody. "[Kody] believes being polygamous is his way to heaven, so it's not necessarily about having to be in love with all your wives," per the source. "It's about who else is as devoted as he is."

According to some "Sister Wives" fans, Christine Brown is better off having left the controversial marriage. She finally got to move to Utah as she wanted after selling the Arizona home she used to share with Kody for $700,000, per The Sun. She found a new home in a $1.1 million duplex located in the beehive state, and it looks like the decision made her livelier and happier.

In the 15th season of "Sister Wives," Christine expressed her discontent over remaining in Arizona. She had suggested to Kody and her fellow wives to move back to Utah, but she had been shot down. She then confessed how tough it is for her to stay there. "I agreed to move to Flagstaff... but it's been a struggle the whole time," she said on the show (via Us Weekly). "I'm tired of feeling like I don't matter, I'm tired of not having his support when I really need it," she continued. "I'm just tired. I need a partnership. I need something different than this."

Christine has been more active on Instagram lately, sharing photos of her being busy with various hobbies. On Reddit, fans have been praising her, saying that it seems that she's finally finding her happiness. "I am glad that Christine has moved and I hope it's just not a temporary thing," one post read. "It is so healthy for both Truely and Christine to be away from Kody's toxic drive-by-parenting."