Kody Brown and Janelle Brown shared a long marriage that lasted nearly three decades. Their relationship was part of Kody’s plural family, which became widely known through TLC’s Sister Wives. Over the years, viewers watched their bond grow, strain, and eventually break.The couple’s story reflects the broader challenges of plural marriage. Their relationship involved shared parenting, shifting family roles, and ongoing tension among sister wives. These struggles became more visible after the show premiered in 2010. In a recent 2025 episode of Sister Wives, Kody publicly apologized to Janelle. The moment brought renewed attention to their history.How did Kody Brown and Janelle Brown’s relationship begin and grow?Fox's "Special Forces" Red Carpet - Source: GettyIn 1990, Kody Brown legally married his first wife, Meri Brown. US Magazine reports that Kody was "spiritually" married to Janelle Brown in January 1993. She became his second wife. The relationship before marriage was on the family level. Janelle assisted in bringing up children in the group and gave birth to six children with Kody. Their family lifestyle was based on collectivism, religion, and coexistence.At the time when Sister Wives aired in 2010, Janelle and Kody appeared to be good partners. According to US Magazine, Janelle appreciated independence. She used to refer to her relationship with Kody as functional rather than emotional. This was a dynamic that served them for several years, but ended up being a distance between them.Read More: Why did Taylor Swift get emotional backstage on the Eras Tour? Travis Kelce's message exploredBreakdown, separation, and Kody’s public apology View this post on Instagram Instagram PostTension grew in the family when Kody got spiritually married to Robyn Brown in 2010. This is because the attention and time changed, which led to strain among all the wives, according to US Magazine. Janelle was loyal to the family but said that she felt frustrated by the unequal treatment.The problem was aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Clashes of rules and communication caused divisions between Kody Brown and some of the members of the family. It was observed that Janelle was publicly on the side of Christine Brown when Christine left Kody in November 2021.At the end of 2022, Janelle announced that she and Kody Brown had separated after almost 30 years of cohabitation. US Magazine noted that the divorce was not hostile. Janelle explained that she preferred being on her own and being clear.In one episode (December 2025), Kody Brown traveled to North Carolina to meet Janelle. In the discussion, he apologized for his anger and resentment. According to US Magazine, Kody acknowledged that he had failed in dealing with the breakdown of the family. He claimed that he would not reminisce about the past bitterly and mentioned his actions as wrong.Read More: What did SZA say about Andrew Tate and Jake Paul's losses? Singer reacts after both boxers fall