Christine Brown Says 'Sister Wives' ' Janelle Was 'Supportive from the Get-Go' of Her Choice to Leave Polygamy

Nearly a year after leaving behind her 26-year plural marriage to Kody Brown, the TLC star opens about her relationship with his wives Meri, Janelle and Robyn

One of Christine Brown's former Sister Wives is in her corner.

The TLC star — who was in 26-year plural marriage to husband Kody Brown and his three wives, Meri, Janelle and Robyn — is opening up about her relationship with the women after leaving polygamy and her fundamentalist Mormon faith behind.

"Janelle and I are really good friends," Christine tells PEOPLE. "She's been supportive from the get-go."

Janelle Brown/Instagram

For years before she announced their split in November 2021, Christine says her marriage to Kody was strained. "I needed more communication, more trust, and I realized we didn't really have a partnership," she shares.

Ultimately, she decided the relationship was unsalvageable and left polygamy altogether.

"When I told Meri, Robyn, and Janelle, Janelle actually cried," says Christine. "That was so hard. It was not only am I deciding to leave Kody, I was leaving them as well."

Sister Wives. TLC

Still, she adds their relationship had changed over the years.

"I hadn't been that close to Robyn, I hadn't been that close to Meri, for years. As soon as I told everybody, [Janelle] was the only person who talked to me afterwards. I didn't even talk to Robyn or Meri after that. The next time I talked to them was Isabelle's graduation party and then when I told them I was moving, that's the only contact I've had with them."

Since their split Christine has settled into her new life in Salt Lake City, Utah, and launched her solo digital series Cooking with Just Christine for TLC in February (season 2 premieres Sept. 11).

"Janelle and I have stayed close through the whole thing," says Christine, who recently celebrated her 50th birthday with a themed party that Janelle attended. "She's wonderful."

Christine Brown. Kim Raff

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Season 17 of Sister Wives premieres Sept. 11 at 10 p.m. ET on TLC