Braunwyn Windham-Burke and husband Sean Burke were married for more than 20 years, but it wasn’t always been smooth sailing for the Real Housewives of Orange County couple — even before they called it quits.
While Bravo fans met Braunwyn in 2019 when she joined the cast of RHOC for season 14, she started seeing Sean when she was just 18 years old.
“I learned [doing the show] that I can’t always rely on my husband,” she explained in a 2019 interview. “I’ve been with my husband since I was 18, so I had to stand on my own two feet for the first time in my entire adult life. And that was not always easy.”
Braunwyn and Sean tied the knot in 2000 and went on to welcome seven kids: Bella, Rowan, Jacob, twins Caden and Curren, Koa and Hazel. Before the pair welcomed their twins and youngest daughters, however, they actually separated for a short period of time.
“We fought for our family because Sean and I almost got divorced,” Braunwyn recalled on the RHOC aftershow in November 2019. “We’ve been through infidelity. We’ve gone down this road and Sean and I came back stronger.”
While they welcomed four more kids post-split, Braunwyn ruled out welcoming baby No. 8 in 2020, revealing that she underwent two years of IVF to have the couple’s youngest daughter.
“We worked very hard for this little one, 2 years of IVF and many losses to get her, but when I look at her huge smile, her eyes that light up and her adorable laugh I can tell you, it’s all worth it,” Braunwyn gushed via Instagram. “She’s the easiest baby we’ve ever had, is best friends with her sister and loves to just follow the others around. I’m so grateful for you, thank you for being a part of our family.”
Before season 15 of RHOC started airing in October 2020, Braunwyn sparked split speculation as she promoted a Zoom session with a divorce specialist. The twosome’s relationship took a turn when she came out as a lesbian in December 2020, but it would still be months before they officially split.
Scroll through for more on Braunwyn and Sean’s ups and downs: