Yahoo News Kyle Richards Opens Up About Mauricio Umansky Separation: “It Originated From Me”
Kyle Richards took a deep breath before opening up to Andy Cohen about the decision to separate from husband Mauricio Umansky.
“It originated from me,” she told the Watch What Happens Live host and Bravo boss, before turning talk to how her family handled the news breaking about the beloved Real Housewives of Beverly Hills pair, who have been married for 27 years and announced their separation to much surprise in July.
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Of the social media response and subsequent rumors speculating about what caused the split, Richards said, “When the news first came out, it was really, really devastating. The whole family. Our phones were blowing up. My kids were just crying, and wouldn’t leave the house. It was really, really difficult.”
She added of her four daughters (Farrah Brittany Aldjufrie, Alexia Simone Umansky, Sophia Kylie Umansky and Portia Umansky), “But now they’re much better and they’re really strong. They’re just so together and so smart. They’ve been my best, best, best friends. And I could not be more proud of them; they’re just amazing human beings, thank God I have them.”
Richards said she and Umansky are still living under the same roof, but in different rooms, noting that Umansky is in the primary bedroom.
Richards also addressed the romance speculation around her friendship with singer Morgan Wade. Richards, who was a guest on WWHL along with former RHOBH star Teddi Mellencamp, called Morgan “absolutely one of my best friends in the world, as well as Teddi.” Richards said she met Wade through Instagram and that she, Wade and Mellencamp all grew very close.
“If she didn’t have all of those tattoos, people would not say that. I’m with my friends all the time and they don’t pay attention… although they did say this about us, too,” Richards said, referring to previous, similar speculation around her close friendship with Mellencamp.
Richards also reacted to Umansky being recently photographed holding hands with his Dancing With the Stars partner Emma Slater, as he competes on the currently airing season of the reality dancing competition.
“I was taken aback,” said Richards. “That was very hard to see.”
“I just don’t think you hold hands like that,” she said. “I don’t know if anything has happened yet, but obviously there is something there. I love him very much and we are very amicable, but that really hurt me.”
She admitted that’s why she deleted an Instagram post this week pledging her support for him being on the show, but added that she did vote for him.
“My husband and I were very, very happy. It’s not fake,” she reiterated of their marriage being featured for years on the Bravo reality series. As for the resurfaced, show-infamous clip of a psychic, Allison DuBois, predicting trouble in Richards’ marriage back in season one, she also shot that down: “We really had an amazing marriage for a very long time.”
Richards returned as a main castmember for the 13th season of RHOBH, which premiered last night ahead of her visit to WWHL and will address her marriage as the season airs.
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