The Bravo show returned to screens on Sunday, October 9, with cast members such as Karen Huger, Gizelle Bryant and Mia Thornton back for another installment.
Darby, 34, has been a housewife on the show since the very beginning and fans have watched as, over the years, she and Michael, 62, have battled problems in their marriage, as well as welcoming their adorable sons, Dean, 3, and Dylan, 1.
Now, RHOP viewers can expect to see Ashley navigating her new life as single woman, as well as dealing with all the drama you would expect from the Potomac ladies.
Newsweek has everything you need to know about what The Real Housewives of Potomac star Ashley Darby has said about her split from Michael so far.
What Has RHOP Star Ashley Darby Said About Divorcing Michael?
On April 19, 2022, Ashley confirmed that she and Michael had split. In a statement released to Bravo, she said: “Almost eight years ago, when Michael and I said, ‘I do,’ we anticipated sharing every single day together from that moment forward. Unfortunately, that is not our current reality. We have decided to separate.
“We are aware that there will be many speculative views as to why we have made this decision. 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.
“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,” she said.
“We are now both at very different stages in our lives and have different goals for our futures. We both want the other to achieve true happiness and fulfillment and feel that we cannot do this together.”
Ashley’s statement continued: “While our romantic bond is broken, we will always love and respect each other. We also know that true happiness can only be achieved by continuing to work together and putting our hearts and souls into raising our two beautiful boys, Dean and Dylan. They will always feel loved and supported, for they were truly created out of love.
“As this is a personal matter for us, we appreciate everyone who has been a part of our journey and ask for your continued support by respecting us as we go through this emotional situation.”
Ashley also said that Michael, whom she wed in 2014, would not be appearing in the seventh season of RHOP.
Then, in the season premiere of The Real Housewives of Potomac, fans watched as Ashley broke the news to her co-stars that her marriage was over.
Speaking to her co-stars Karen Huger, 59, Gizelle Bryant, 52, and Robyn Dixon, 43, Darby confirmed she and Michael were separating and said that the fact that the couple were not “sexually as compatible anymore” was one of the factors.
Huger then asked if they were separating or divorcing, to which Darby said that in the state of Virginia, couples have to be separated for a year before they can divorce.
Darby left the ladies shocked when she admitted she was having “cravings” to be intimate with Michael once again, despite the split, but it seems those desires have subsided now.
Darby then revealed that she and her estranged husband were buying a house together through their limited liability company (LLC), even though they are no longer romantically involved.
The star was seen discussing the living arrangements with her uncle and mom, and the trio discussed the former couple’s financial situation.
“Initially, the prenup said that I wouldn’t get alimony, that I would just get a lump sum,” Darby said, “but my prenup is now not valid anymore if we’re married for five years.”
Darby, who was married to Michael for almost eight years, added that “theoretically, I would get half” of his assets.
The cameras then showed a producer asking Darby in her individual confessional interview if she knows how much “half” is.
“I will say that I think he does well,” Ashley replied, after declining to give an exact amount.
More recently, at October 2022’s BravoCon, Darby opened up about where her relationship with Michael stands now, revealing there has been a “shift” between them.
“My love for him now has evolved, in a weird way. He has become just such a great partner and father, so even though the romantic element is gone, I can still appreciate how much he cares about my kids and how much time he dedicates to them,” Darby told the U.K. news website DailyMail.com.
“If you asked me two years ago, if I would ever be able to get to this point with Michael, I would not have been able to. It’s just been a shift.”
Darby also said she is beginning to “dabble” in the dating world again, saying: “People have been sliding in my DMs. I’m starting to dabble, I’m not gonna lie. Obviously, I’m doing some fun things.”
The Real Housewives of Potomac continues Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.
