While Kyle Richards and estranged husband Mauricio Umansky continue to navigate their separation in the public eye, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star said they haven’t spoken about what’s next when it comes to the state of their marriage.
Speaking exclusively to The Messenger at a Real Housewives of Beverly Hills “Room Service” watch party on Wednesday, Richards — who referenced her split as a divorce on a red carpet in November and later said she “misspoke” — admitted that the pair have yet to actually discuss the topic.
“I just bumped into somebody in the lobby at the Peninsula [Hotel], and they said, ‘It must be hard with a separation and divorce.’ I said, ‘Not divorced,'” Richards said at the event, which was hosted by Threads at The Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills. “The reason I flipped that day is I had to correct two people on the carpet. And I must have heard it in my head, and then I said it, like a slip. In this business, you can’t afford to have a little slip-up for everybody.
“We haven’t spoken about [divorce] yet,” she added. “No, that has not come up yet. Obviously, we know that it is potentially something that could happen with us. We just haven’t gone that route yet.”
While Richards said it can be “awkward” sometimes living under the same roof with Umansky, she said their No. 1 priority is keeping their family together.
“We both very much live at home in the same house,” said Richards, who is mom to daughters Farrah, 35, Alexia, 27, Sophia, 23, and Portia, 15. “And we’re fortunate enough that my home can fit us all to spread out. And I’m also very fortunate that we get along, and care about each other very much and that we are a family no matter what. That’s always been what we stand for. That has not changed, and obviously some days are not as great as others. Some days it’s like, ‘Oh, it’s a little awkward today.’ And other days, it’s like nothing ever happened, and we’re just all watching TV as a family. We’re taking it a day at a time.”
News of Richards and Umansky’s separation made headlines in early July. The pair — who wed in 1996 — addressed their split in a joint statement posted to their respective Instagram accounts shortly after.
“In regards to the news that came out about us today… Any claims regarding us divorcing are untrue. However, yes, we have had a rough year. The most challenging one of our marriage,” read the statement. “But we both love and respect each other tremendously. There has been no wrongdoing on anyone’s part. Although we are in the public eye, we ask to be able to work through our issues privately.”
They concluded: “While it may be entertaining to speculate, please do not create false stories to fit a further salacious narrative. Thank you for the love and support. Kyle & Maurico.”
That same month, a source told The Messenger that despite the hiccup in their relationship, the Bravo stars have “no plans to divorce and are rebuilding their marriage.”