What went wrong? Vanderpump Rules stars Katie Maloney and Tom Schwartz announced their separation after more than 10 years together, leaving fans to question why they called it quits.
“After 12 years on an adventure through life together Tom and I are ending our marriage,” Maloney wrote in a statement shared via Instagram in March after being spotted without her wedding ring earlier that month. “This ending is not met with resentment or animosity, no sides to choose. We have deep admiration for one another that will always remain and we cherish our friendship. Although we may be on different paths we will continue to love and support one another’s happiness.”
Schwartz, for his part, expressed his disappointment in an Instagram post. “Well this sucks,” he confessed. “How am I supposed to capture 12 years of love in a f–kin canned Instagram caption. What picture am I supposed to use? Is there a go-to break up font?”
After noting that he was not ready to use the term divorce yet because it was “too painful,” the reality star raved over his romance with Maloney. “We had some of the most blissful, romantic, fun times humanely [sic] possible over the course of our relationship,” he gushed. “I’m talking heaven on earth level joy. She taught me so much about love and being a better partner.”
He added: “I don’t look at it as a failure. As sad as I am, still happy to say there’s no anger or bitterness. Zero. Still so much love for you @musickillskate. And your family. I don’t think we were ever a model couple. Maybe we are model divorcées.”
Schwartz and Maloney were already dating when Vanderpump Rules premiered in 2013. They tied the knot in 2016 but later revealed that they were not legally married. The duo made things official when they exchanged vows for a second time in Las Vegas in July 2019.
One month before the split made headlines, the TomTom co-owner opened up about the pair’s plans to start a family. “Time will tell,” he exclusively told Us Weekly in February. “I don’t know [when].”
However, Schwartz still seemed optimistic at the time, predicting that Maloney would make an “incredible mom” one day. “I love kids. We just never got around to it,” he added. “It’s not too late, I know.”
The “You’re Gonna Love Me” podcast host, meanwhile, got real about her marriage one year before the separation.
“I feel like the misconceptions of our relationship is that we are like, Tom’s deeply unhappy and I’m a miserable shrew of a wife,” she said during a February 2021 episode of her podcast. “I mean, we don’t hide our fights. We have, you’ve seen on the show, like, pretty intense, horrific fights that, you know, suck. But we’ve always been willing and able to, like, live our relationship out loud. So you do see, like, the worst of the worst, but that’s not, like, the constant daily for us.”
Scroll through the gallery below to learn more about the Bravo stars’ separation:
In his breakup statement, Schwartz indicated that Maloney was the one to pull the plug on their marriage. “My heart aches but I’ll be OK,” he wrote via Instagram in March. “Not looking to evoke any sympathy here. I’m not the victim. Not gonna write too sad a song. Fully respect Katie’s decision and we’ve had healthy, productive conversations about it. It would be far sadder if she decided to stay with me whilst not happy.” Rob Latour/Shutterstock
A source told Us in March that the TV personalities “got into a lot of arguments” and weren’t “seeing eye-to-eye” on their relationship before calling it quits. “They tried for a long time to make it work but the truth is they’ve been struggling as a couple these past few months.” While Schwartz “really wanted it to last between them,” Maloney “wanted for it to be over,” a second source revealed. A third insider added, “People tend to grow apart after spending years together and that’s what happened.” KCR/Shutterstock
“They weren’t living this fairy tale and a lot of their friends picked up on that,” a source told Us in March, noting that some of their Vanderpump Rules castmates “weren’t even aware that they were officially separating” until they saw their social media statements. Despite the split, the insider shared that Schwartz and Maloney will “still be part of each other’s lives” since they have the same friends. “They’re both going to continue to support each other and the businesses they’re pursuing. They are taking time to focus on themselves and figure out next steps.” KCR/Shutterstock
Schwartz denied that his costar Sandoval was involved in the separation. “No, no, that’s all on me,” he told photographers in March. “I wish I had a scapegoat, but that’s all on me. … It’s complicated, obviously. But nothing in particular. You know, life, you know. It’s complicated.” Shutterstock (3)
“They’re not in a rush to file for divorce,” a source told Us in March. “They’re still living together — neither has moved out yet.” Mediapunch/Shutterstock
Maloney filed divorce paperwork on March 22, citing “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the split. However, according to the docs, the duo called it quits more than one month prior, with February 12 listed as the date of separation. Per the docs, the pair did not have a prenuptial agreement before getting married. Shutterstock (2)
Maloney revealed to Us Weekly exclusively in April 2022 that while she had been "kind of processing information and my feelings sort of alone," before deciding to call it quits with Schwartz, seeing costars Raquel Leviss and James Kennedy end their engagement made her feel like she was making the right decision. "When they announced [that] at the reunion that they had broken it up ... it was a bit empowering because when you're trying to figure out what to do and you see other people be strong and their convictions like that, you're like, 'All right, I can do it, I can do it.'" Rob Latour/Shutterstock
As they prepare to sell the home they still both live in, Maloney and Schwartz have been doing their best to help one another through the moving process. "We're kind of in the process of figuring out our next moves of where we're gonna live and what that's gonna be like," the "You're Gonna Love Me" podcast host told Us. "So, we've kind of been sharing listings, apartment listings or condo listings with each other. We wanna stay in the same area because we both have the dogs and we're gonna, like, split custody of that. It's important to be near each other for that regard." Broadimage/Shutterstock
When asked why she decided to file for divorce so quickly after the couple announced their separation, Maloney explained to Us, "We both kind of didn't really see a point in prolonging it. We made this decision and to kind of just wait that portion out, just didn't really make a lot of sense." She added: "If we're gonna sell our house, it didn't make sense to, like, remain married, I guess. And you know, it's a process anyway to go through the divorce." Mediapunch/Shutterstock
Though Maloney "tried to distance herself" from Schwartz and Sandy's, the bar her estranged husband is opening with Tom Sandoval, when "things went sour" between them, she still helps out where she can. "Tom will still ask me like, 'Hey, what do you think of these menu options or items?'" she told Us. "And I went by and looked at the place not too long ago. So, he still wants my input and involvement, but I do not insert myself. I just kind of do what I'm asked." MediaPunch/Shutterstock
"I'm very open at this point [to the possibility of meeting someone]," Maloney told Us about dating after her divorce. "The dating apps really scare me so I don't know if that will happen or definitely not anytime soon. But I mean, let's say if I was, like, out and there was, like, some little kissing sort of situation, I wouldn't turn it down. I'm open because I think it could be maybe potentially healthy or maybe good for the ego." She added: "I'm not trying to get a boyfriend or a relationship anytime soon, but I don't see any problem in going on a date or just, you know, flirting with someone." Mediapunch/Shutterstock
"Subconsciously [I knew] maybe longer because I was aware of these certain patterns and behaviors of things I was not OK with. I started to feel really uneasy about things," Maloney said in a resurfaced clip from the "Relationsh*t with Kamie Crawford" podcast in June 2022. For the former SUR waitress, Schwartz's approach to their marriage caused her to reconsider the future. "I felt like he was choosing everyone else in the room and in his life before me. I was like, I don't know that I'm in love anymore," she added at the time. "It's really scary because when you're with someone for so long and it's so familiar and so comfortable and so safe, you don't check in with those emotions." Faye Sadou/MediaPunch/INSTAR; Ralph Bavaro/Bravo
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