‘RHOP’: Ashley Darby Admits She’s Hesitant to Finalize Divorce From Michael
It’s been some time since The Real Housewives of Potomac star Ashley Darby announced her split from her husband, Michael. The mother of two married the wealthy businessman, who is 29 years her senior, nearly a decade ago. While fans will get an inside look at Ashley’s journey to divorce, she recently admitted that she’s unsure whether she wants to go through with it.
The couple announced their split in a statement to Bravo
Ashley and Michael’s marriage has been riddled with controversy from the start. In addition to a huge age gap, infidelity and questions surrounding Michael’s sexuality have plagued their marriage. There were also issues with business when they co-owned a Virginia restaurant together, and Michael’s uncomfortability with financially caring for Ashley’s able-bodied mother.
This past Spring, the pair announced they were legally separating and heading to divorce. “People will be quick to assume that the causes were too much intrusion by reality TV into the most personal parts of our lives, age gap issues, cultural problems, or child-rearing differences,” she said, admitting that “pieces of all these may have affected our pure love for each other, but no one reason is the root cause of our mutual decision to go our separate ways,” Ashley confirmed in a statement to Bravo Insider.
According to insiders, a buildup of issues contributed to their breakup. “They’ve been having serious problems for about a year now,” a source revealed. “There’s been a visceral disconnect between them as a couple. For Ashley, the inconsistencies within the relationship and trust issues led to the split.”
She admits she’s hesitant to move forward in divorce finalization
Ashley recently spoke with media outlets regarding how she’s processing the split now that some time has passed. She says things remain difficult, and she questions whether she’s making the right decision, especially because the two have small children.
“I thought it would get easier, but it’s been about six months now, and it’s still so hard,” she said, as The Jasmine Brand reports. “There’s some moments of missing our relationship, and when I see him being a really good dad, it’s like, ‘Oh man, could I? Should I?’ because he is still a great dad and a hands-on parent, and that’s what I find so attractive about him.”
Whether or not the two actually go through with things has yet to be determined, as Virginia law, where she filed paperwork, requires one full year of separation before a judge will sign off on the divorce. Still, she hasn’t thought about moving on with another partner.
“When I was dating before Michael, there was no online dating — the whole landscape looked so different and honestly it’s petrifying now,” she explained. “The stories I hear and all these wolves in sheeps’ clothing. I’m definitely going very, very snail-paced slow. I’m a little scared.”
Their separation will play out in Season 7 of ‘RHOP’
Season 7 of the show premieres on Bravo on Oct. 9, and much of the show will chronicle how Ashley moves forward amid the split. In the trailer, her co-stars question whether she’s ready to move on, as she reveals that she is buying a home with Michael. The couple lived in a condo in Virginia throughout their 8-year marriage, and they currently remain in the same home despite being separated.
