Major Changes

Tension in the Brown family’s Las Vegas cul-de-sac reaches a new high

Sister Wives drama heats up. Will Kody Brown divorce all four of his wives?

He has four wives who’ve given him 18 children. But none of Kody Brown’s spouses bothered to wish him a happy Father’s Day on their busy social media accounts. The Kody- free zone continued throughout June and early July: Sister Wives’ Janelle, Robyn, Meri and Christine all failed to make any online mention of their husband.

There’s a reason. Frustrated with Kody’s bad behavior and thirst for fame, all four wives are ready to walk out. But they’re not the only ones who are over the union. Kody, 48, is now considering pulling the plug on his marriages to Janelle, 48, Meri, 46, Christine, 45, and Robyn, 38, to save himself the aggravation. “I believe Kody is about to wipe the slate clean by divorcing all his wives,” a family insider exclusively tells Life & Style. “A year or so ago he would have been terribly upset that they planned to leave, but now it seems like he feels this is the best thing that could possibly happen. The divorces will be good for him, and also for ratings as viewers watch how he starts over again.”

THE REPLACEMENT

Legally, Kody is only wed to Robyn. The rest are spiritual marriages. So Kody only “needs to file divorce papers for Robyn

in Nevada, where they live,” says the insider. “He is a great father to all of his children, though,” the insider notes, “and will do everything he can to continue to make sure they are supported financially and emotionally.”

His kids may have to share Dad with some new siblings soon because Kody doesn’t intend to stay a bachelor for long, the insider believes. Friends have been telling the TLC star that there are many young women who would be keen to become his sister wives, the insider says, adding that “finding three or four wives quickly will not prove too difficult.”

He’s already pinpointed one. “For some time now, he has been lining up a woman from Montana to be a new wife,” reveals the insider. But she’d hesitated, fearing his current wives would be hostile. “It’s yet another sign that he’s meant to get rid of Meri, Janelle, Robyn and Christine,” claims the insider. “Starting fresh with this woman would be perfect.”

There is a hiccup, though. Like Robyn, who has three kids from a previous marriage, the Montana woman is a divorcée who has two kids already. “Some of Kody’s pals think her past is too similar to Robyn’s,” says the insider, “and

they’re urging him to find someone different.”

CHAOS IN THE CUL-DE-SAC

The potential new bride is right: The other wives wouldn’t welcome her. Many of them trace the family’s problems to when Kody brought home wife No. 4, Robyn. Christine, his third wife, “says

the family was ruined when Robyn arrived on the scene,” notes the insider. Meri, his first wife, especially suffered as a result. She was legally wed to Kody for 24 years before he divorced her in 2014 to make Robyn his official bride ( because, he said, he wanted to adopt Robyn’s children,

Dayton, 17, Aurora, 15, and Breanna, 11). While Meri outwardly put on a brave face, she admits she felt “isolated” and “lonely” after the wife swap. And it led to her online affair with someone who ended up being a female catfisher (see sidebar, next page). “Janelle was disgusted by the whole catfish scandal,” says the insider. “She believes Meri brought terrible embarrassment upon all of them.”

For all the infighting among the women, they are united in blaming Kody more than each other for their issues — and not just because he’s on the verge of divorcing them. From trying to court younger women to become fifth and sixth wives to fat-shaming Janelle and Robyn, his behavior has been downright demeaning for years. He also racked up six figures in debt, as Life & Style has previously reported. “Janelle has been very loyal to her husband, but even for her there is a limit to how much of Kody’s behavior she can put up with,” says the insider. “Robyn feels that Kody is no longer the man she fell in love with. He has become so difficult to be around.”

CLAIMING INDEPENDENCE

That’s why each of the ladies has been prepping to leave Kody. Their first steps? Getting financially secure. The women have all been busy promoting their various businesses online. For Janelle, that means regular posts about her health and

wellness program, Strive With Janelle. “She is doing incredibly well because she’s a real woman, someone people can relate to,” says the insider. “She has a huge following now. She is also becoming a fitness trainer and is creating a range of workout clothing for plus- size women. Janelle will have no trouble walking away from Kody at any time.”

Neither will Meri, who’s become a successful Lularoe saleswoman. “Meri is making the most money out of all the wives, and she is having a great time doing it,” shares the insider. “At this point, she has no concerns about what to do when she leaves Kody.” In fact, the mother of one is already planning a move to Hawaii. “Her best friend lives there,” explains the insider. “She has everything set for her future, and

Kody is not part of it.”

Fashion is providing stability for Robyn, too: Her online jewelry and clothing company, My Sisterwife’s Closet, has been holding pop- up events and is in the process of expanding. “Robyn knows she could easily get a job as a clerical worker in a doctor’s office as she’s done in the past,” says the insider. “But she really wants to create jewelry. That is her dream career.” As for Christine, “She is an exceptionally talented artist,” the insider says. “Her family is also very supportive of her and would look after her and her children.” Whether

she or Kody officially ends the marriage, she’s done. Christine, says the insider, “is sick of the drama that is going on with Kody!”

All the wives are. Now, as Kody nervously awaits word from TLC over whether Sister Wives will be renewed for another season, soon-to- be- exes Meri and Robyn are getting the last laugh. “Meri is the most popular star of Sister Wives, and she is looking to do her own show in Hawaii,” reveals the insider. “And Robyn secretly wants to do a spin- off with TLC, and the network thinks it will make for compelling viewing. Kody will be furious!”