‘RHOP’: What Ashley Darby Says Has Been Hardest Part of Divorcing Michael

The Real Housewives of Potomac fans have watched Ashley Darby go through the motions since announcing her split from her longtime husband, Michael. He’s more than 30 years her senior, and the two have had major issues, but Ashley always vowed to make it work. But after a tumultuous last few seasons, she seemingly had enough. Now, witnessing her family break apart is what Ashley says is the toughest part of her divorce. Everything is playing out on Season 7 of the show.

Ashley Darby previously said incompatibility contributed to her and Michael’s split

Since Season 1, questions about the Darby’s marriage have been at the forefront. Michael has been accused of infidelity, and his sexuality has even been questioned as he’s been caught being inappropriate with other men several times on camera. Despite such, Ashley always stood by him, and revealed in Season 5 that they participated in threesomes together.

But after eight years of marriage and two children, she announced their separation. She says several things contributed to their split, one of which was her own personal growth. “We’re just really different. I mean, 22-year-old Ashley, who he met. That is who I think Michael wanted,” she explained to PEOPLE Magazine while attending BravoCon. “And think about it. He’s in his 60s. So when I met him, he was in his 50s. He was pretty who he is.” On the show, she explained that her decision to leave was Michael asking her for another threesome after she insisted they must be monogamous moving forward.

She added at BravoCon: “I was still learning, and my sexuality was still evolving and changing. So now I am who I am. We’re just not really compatible.” 

It’s not the first time the former pair have split. Ashley moved out for six months amid their joint restaurant failure and issues between Michael and her family. They reconciled and later had their children.

She says breaking up her family is the hardest part of the divorce

Ashley has tread lightly with revealing too many details about her split from Michael. But as the season progresses, she gets emotional over the prospect of being a single mother. Michael has also begun to make things difficult at home with Ashley by starting fights over money and child custody. 

Despite the contention, Ashley and Michael are reportedly still purchasing a home together for Ashley and their two children to live in. It’s seemingly part of Ashley’s deal in the split. But she told TODAY.com that the process has “so much emotionally attached to it.”

She explained: “It symbolizes the breaking up of my family, not just the change of my residence. The change of my homestead, and my heart. That’s really been the most challenging part for me through all of this.”

She’s now dating another Bravo star

While Ashley’s emotions are up and down throughout the split with Michael, it’s not stopping her from moving on. She learned that fellow Bravo star, Luke Gulbranson, was interested in her ahead of 2022 BravoCon. The two met in person and have stayed in touch, seeing each other a few times since. Ashley admits Michael isn’t a fan of her moving on, but she seems into Gulbranson. And unlike Michael, he’s in the same age group. 

Gulbranson is a star on Summer House. He also has a few acting credits under his belt.