Branching out the Sister Wives family tree of plural marriage and 18 kids

The Sister Wives family has been on our screens for more than 10 years. From its 2010 premiere onward, the show has offered a front-row seat to the lives of Kody Brown and his plural marriages, which are as complex and sometimes as soap-opera-esque as anyone could hope for. The Brown family’s path is a unique one — four wives, 18 children, an emotional whirlwind. The Sister Wives' journey from polygamous highs of creating a big family to nerve-racking lows of heartbreak and impending separation has had fans fascinated.

The family’s story is one of love, loss, personal growth, and the never-ending tussle for normalcy under the public glare. But the family dynamics have shifted dramatically in recent years, leading fans to speculate about what comes next. So here’s a look at everything you need to know about the Sister Wives family, how they’ve changed, and what’s next for this unforgettable reality TV clan.

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Sister wives, marriages, and children

Kody Brown’s family is central to the Sister Wives narrative, with his marriages to Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn forming the foundation of the show. These unions have been full of love, challenges, and ultimately, significant changes over the years. Let's take a deeper look at each of Kody's wives, their relationships with him, and the children they’ve raised together.

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Meri Brown: Kody's first wife

Kody Brown’s first marriage was to Meri, to whom he was legally wed in 1990. In an initial, one-to-one way, in which Kody was Meri’s only husband for decades, their relationship started traditionally.

But as time passed, Kody expanded into plural marriages. Meri and Kody's marriage has long had its problems, most famously a catfishing scandal in 2016 that cast a shadow over their relationship. The emotional cost of the scandal appeared to widen the breach between them.

Meri shares one biological child with Kody, a son named Leon (then known as “Mariah”), born in 1995.

Leon is an important character in the Sister Wives series, and the transition they've undertaken, both personally and in terms of gender, has been a prominent topic in their lives for the past few years. Meri has also helped raise Kody's other children from his later marriages, but her relationship with Kody has continued to be distant over the years.

Meri and Kody had split by 2022, it was confirmed. Though they had never officially divorced, their marriage had been rocky for years. Kody and Meri's relationship, which at one point became the bedrock of the Sister Wives narrative, ultimately devolved into one of distance and emotional separation.

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Janelle Brown: Kody's second wife

Janelle was Kody's second wife. They wed spiritually in 1993 when Kody and Meri were raising their family. Janelle, with her more down-to-earth personality and fierce independence, added a very different dynamic to the family. Over the years, it was often Janelle who was the more practical, level-headed partner, bringing order to Kody's often chaotic family life. However, Janelle's relationship with Kody deteriorated over time, especially when the family moved to Flagstaff, Arizona, putting even more strain on their already difficult relationship.

Kody and Janelle share six kids: Logan, Madison, Hunter, Garrison, Gabriel, and Savanah.

The Sister Wives series captured the growth and development of Janelle's children, many of whom have started their families and careers. Just like Meri, Janelle’s relationship with Kody drifted over time.

In 2022, Janelle decided to split from Kody. She cited differences within their relationship as a main reason for the split. Janelle has simply moved forward and is still not romantically involved with Kody, but is very much involved with her kids and the family.

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Christine Brown: Kody's third wife

Christine joined Kody in 1994 when they began their spiritual marriage. She was Kody’s third wife, and their dynamic was, at first, depicted as one of deep love and devotion. Christine took fans by storm with her warm, bubbly personality and dedication to her family. But as time passed, Christine grew apart from Kody, particularly when his other marriages began to weigh on the relationship.

Christine and Kody share six children: Aspyn, Mykelti, Paedon, Gwendlyn, Ysabel, and Truely.

Christine has had a really close relationship with her children, and they’ve each had their own moment in the spotlight in the show. Christine’s children getting married were big milestones for her, especially Aspyn's and Mykelti's weddings. Truely, her youngest frequently accompanied her during the series’ most emotional moments.

Christine announced in 2021 that she was leaving Kody after more than 25 years of marriage. She said that her increasing displeasure with the marriage and Kody’s emotional distance from her had been contributing factors in her decision. Christine’s split from Kody was one of the biggest moments of Sister Wives, as it meant the end of one of the series’ longest relationships. Since her split, Christine has been concentrating on herself and raising her kids solo.

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Robyn Brown: Kody's fourth wife

Robyn is Kody’s fourth wife, and the only one who has stuck around through all the other splits. They were legally married in 2010 after Kody divorced Meri so he could marry Robyn. Robyn had previously been in a plural marriage with a different man, but her relationship with Kody became the only one to survive. Robyn’s marriage to Kody is the most stable of the surviving unions, and she has been instrumental in helping Kody keep his relationship with his children and the other wives alive as their relationships have soured.

Robyn and Kody have two biological children together: Solomon and Ariella. In addition, Robyn brought three children from her previous marriage — Dayton, Breanna, and Aurora — whom Kody later legally adopted. Throughout the show, Robyn has been shown navigating motherhood with both her biological and adopted children while also helping to raise Kody’s other children.

Robyn is the only wife still with Kody as of 2025. Their relationship is the show’s main focus, and they’re still figuring out what their lives together look like in the wake of Kody’s other marriages.

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Raising 18 children on television

One of the most intriguing elements of Sister Wives is observing the development of the 18 children over the years. Kody and his wives have a large and colorful brood that has been chronicled in front of the cameras for years. From family vacations to mealtime photos, the children have had a childhood unlike any other — one that has been filled with public scrutiny and endless drama.

As the children grew up, some began to step into the spotlight themselves. Kody’s kids are marrying and starting families of their own, continuing the Brown family cycle. In 2024, Kody and Janelle's son, Garrison Brown, died by suicide — a devastating blow to the family.

The family was rocked by this loss and was reminded that a public life comes with its repercussions.

But the Brown children have thrived despite the challenges. As the family continues to evolve, viewers can still see glimpses of these now-adult children navigating their own paths.