Janelle and Kody Brown answered some tough questions about the state of their spiritual marriage on part 2 of the season 16 Sister Wives tell-all, telling host Sukanya Krishnan about their true feelings for each other.
“We’re not in sync. We don’t partner really well, but we actually just are able to have a marriage that’s, if you will, lower in attachment,” Kody, 53, explained during the reunion special, which aired on Sunday, February 6. “I mean, we’re good friends. We get along well. It’s more of a … committed relationship.”
When asked if he’s “in love” with Janelle, 52, Kody said, “I love Janelle. Janelle wouldn’t tell you she was in that place with me either if she’s being honest.”
Janelle was questioned the same thing and noted, “Look. We have a long-term relationship. We’ve been together almost 30 years. He’s my best friend.”
Kody and Janelle spiritually wed on January 17, 1993, and they share six children together, sons Logan, Hunter, Garrison and Gabriel, as well as daughters Madison and Savanah. Janelle was the second wife to join the family after first wife Meri Brown, both of whom he is still spiritually married to now. His now-estranged wife, Christine Brown, was third to join the family spiritually in March 1994.
After, Robyn Brown was fourth to join the plural family. Robyn, 43, and Kody spiritually wed in 2010 and again legally in 2014. Kody had divorced first wife Meri, 51, in 2014 so he could legally wed Robyn and adopt her three children: Dayton, Aurora, Breanna. Today, Robyn and Kody are still going strong while Christine, 49, and Kody announced their split in November 2021, just before the season 16 premiere.
Janelle explained that while she and Kody may not be head-over-heels in love today, they do care about each other.
“He’s still your husband and the emotional intimacy and the physical intimacy has to go hand in hand?” Sukanya pondered. “Is that something that you are working on?”
“Yep. We’re fine … Kody and I are fine,” Janelle replied about their emotional status and sex life. “I’m not going to share too much, but we’re fine.”
Sukanya followed up by asking Christine if Kody “filled [Janelle’s] tank” to which Christine replied, “I don’t know if she needs Kody to fill her tank … what she needs from Kody is very different from what I ever needed from Kody. I think Janelle is a wicked awesome, strong woman, and I think she fills her own damn tank.”
Janelle previously questioned her future with the polygamous family during the January 16 episode of Sister Wives, revealing that she still valued the life she built with Kody together in spite of the marital struggles they were facing.
“I’ve had to really think. My children are almost grown, and there’s not a huge necessity anymore to stay. It was a wonderful way to raise children,” she said at the time. “With Kody and I right now, our relationship is pretty strained. And you know, it’s easy to walk away.”