Where Are the Sister Wives Now? A Look at Their Lives After 19 Seasons of the TLC Series — and Where They Stand with Kody Today

Mar. 15, 2025

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A lot has changed sinceSister Wivespremiered nearly 15 years ago.

When the show first aired, Kody was living a seemingly happy, interconnected life with wives Meri, Janelle and Christine in their joint home in Utah. But over 19 seasons, the TLC series has followed the family as they have navigated significant life changes, including moves, pregnancies, deaths, divorces and new relationships.

“The dream of the big polygamist family is just completely shot. It’s over,” Kody said in the opening scene of season 19, which premiered in September 2024.

“Christine and I just don’t talk. Janelle and I have been separated. Meri, do we say we’re divorced? No, I don’t think so, but we’re not in a marriage and I don’t want to be in that marriage,” he added.

Here’s everything to know about the sister wives and where they are now.

Who are the sister wives?

In 1989, Meri met Kody through his sister at church. At the time, Meri’s dad had five wives and would talk to Kody about polygamy, ultimately leading him to “convert” to the plural lifestyle. Six months after they met, Meri and Kody married in 1990, with the intention of adding more wives to the family.

Kody’s second wife, Janelle, was first introduced through Meri.According to Janelle, when she first met Kody, it felt like she had known him for a long time. Soon after, Janelle told Kody about joining his family, and they wed in 1993.

One year later, in 1994, he married his third wife, Christine. After Kody and Meri initially met Christine, who grew up in a polygamist household, it took her time to be incorporated into their family.

Were Kody and the sister wives all legally married?

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WhenSister Wivesfirst aired, Kody was legally married to his first wife, Meri, and “spiritually married” to Christine and Janelle through a “covenant” in their church.

The day afterSister Wivespremiered, the Utah police announced they were investigating Kody and his wives for possible charges of bigamy,Deseret Newsreported.

Although he was only legally married to one woman, Utah’s state code identifies bigamy through cohabitation, not just legal marriage contracts, and the family was a unit for over 16 years at that time. However, the investigation did not lead to charges, and the family later moved to Nevada.

The following year, the Brownschallenged Utah’s criminal polygamy lawin what would becomeBrown v. Buhman.In 2013, a judge ruled in their favor, declaring parts of Utah’s polygamy laws unconstitutional, according toUSA Today.

How many kids do Kody Brown and his current and former wives share?

As of season 19, Kody is the father of 18 children across his current and former relationships. Kody’s first child was born in 1995 when he welcomed Leon with Meri. He and Janelle welcomed six children: Logan, Madison, Hunter, Garrison, Gabriel and Savannah. Christine and Kody also welcomed six children: Aspen, Mykelti, Paedon, Gwendlyn, Ysabel and Truely.

“Kody and I are deeply saddenedto announce the loss of our beautiful boy Robert Garrison Brown,” she captioned a series of images of her son in anInstagramstatement. “He was a bright spot in the lives of all who knew him. His loss will leave such a big hole in our lives that it takes our breath away.”

Kody posted the same statement onhis own Instagram.

Are the sister wives still married to Kody Brown?

Instagram

Christine was the first wife to leave the plural marriage in November 2021, announcing that she was separating from Kody in anInstagram statement.

“After more than 25 years together,Kody and I have grown apartand I have made the difficult decision to leave,” she wrote. “We will continue to be a strong presence in each other’s lives as we parent our beautiful children and support our wonderful family.”

In August 2022, Christine told PEOPLE the final straw in leaving Kody came after he refused to travel for daughter Ysabel’s scoliosis surgery. “He broke my little girl’s heart,” she said. “I really find it hard to stay with a guy who I don’t respect. I understood COVID, and why he couldn’t come, but she didn’t. And she still has a really hard time with it.”

Christine’s departuresparked a “domino effect”that led to three of Kody’s marriages imploding within 14 months. In December 2022, it was revealed thatJanelle separated from Kodyafter nearly 30 years of marriage.

(L-R) Christine Brown, Meri Brown, Kody Brown, and Janelle Brown.Shutterstock

In January 2023, Kody and Meri posted a joint announcement onInstagramannouncing that they had decided toend their marriage. “After more than a decade of working on our relationship in our own unique ways, we have made the decision to permanently terminate our marriage relationship,” it read.

Their split came years after the relationship became more platonic than romantic. Though they were happily married for some time, Meri’s2015 catfishing scandal— when she had an online relationship with a woman she thought was a man — changed the nature of their relationship.

She continued, “So I’m on my toes. I’m having to consistently make sure that he’s not sabotaging our relationship.”

Where are the sister wives now?

WhenSister Wivesdebuted, the plural family lived in Lehi, Utah. Since then, they have moved twice: first to Las Vegas, Nev., and then to Flagstaff, Ariz., where only a few family members remain.

Janelle, who is not in communication with Kody, still resides in Flagstaff — for now. She’s been “dreaming” of purchasing property with her daughter Madison, and at the beginning of season 19, she looked at places in Montana — five hours from Christine in Utah.

More recently, Janelle spent much ofthe summer in North Carolinawhere some of her kids reside and hinted at plans for a future there. In September 2024, she, her daughter Madison and son-in-law Calebannounced the launchof a new business venture and passion project,Taeda Farms.

Meanwhile, Christine returned to Utah, where she met her current husband,David Woolley, through adating app. They went public with their relationship in February 2023 and announced their engagement two months later.

Christine and Davidtied the knoton Oct. 7, 2023, in a ceremony that she described as “a fairytale.”

Even though she no longer considers herself a polygamist, Christine still keeps her sister wife Janelle close. Christine shared with PEOPLE that she told David, “Everywhere I go, Janelle has to come with me, and all of her children come, too.”

As for Meri, she moved back to Utah following her split from the polygamous marriage — and hasre-entered the dating scene.

“Prince Charming has not arrived. I’m not really looking for a prince,” she explained in anInstagramvideo in April 2024. “No, I’m looking for a king. There’s a bit of an energetic difference there. A prince is still a boy. I want a man who knows who he is.”

Despite being in the same state as some of her sister wives, Meri has been distant from them. “When I see them we have cordial conversations, but I don’t seek them out to have a relationship,” she said on theMiss Understood Podcastin June 2024. A month prior, Merilaunched a passion projectcalledWorthy Up, and in August 2024, she announced she wouldtemporarily close her bed and breakfast, Lizzie’s Heritage Inn, for renovations.

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source: people.com