The Dark Side Of RHONY Star Kelly Bensimon's Marriage To Ex Husband Gilles
The life of a Real Housewife is not all it's cracked up to be. Real estate agent Kelly Killoren Bensimon was on "The Real Housewives of New York" for the second, third, and fourth seasons. For a decade, she and famed photographer Gilles Bensimon were married and the former couple shares two children; daughters Sea Bensimon and Thaddeus Bensimon. In a 2016 "People Mom Talk" segment, Kelly shared the difficulties of dealing with debilitating postpartum depression symptoms after Sea was born in 1998: "I couldn't drive. I had so much anxiety. I didn't want to be by myself."
The former model confirmed that the postpartum depression came and went for about two years until she got pregnant again with her second daughter. Kelly also admitted that Gilles wasn't very present after Sea's birth, which made everything so much worse. "Like, I literally gave birth to a child and my ex-husband just left and went traveling and I was this child by myself," she said. "I was so young, and none of my friends had kids. I was petrified. I loved her so much but I was literally petrified."
It was hard for the former Bravo star to manage everything she was going through, especially since there was a lack of information about postpartum depression and she had no support system either. When other moms expressed how well they were doing, Kelly asserted, "I'm not great. I'm not feeling good."
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
Kelly claimed she got nothing from Gilles post-divorce
Kelly Killoren Bensimon has spoken about her divorce elsewhere as well. In the Season 4, Episode 3 of "The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip," the women spoke about misconceptions and Kelly divulged that she's not as wealthy as people assume. "I'm self made," she clarified, "and my husband gave me nothing. And left me with absolutely nothing and I raised my two girls on my own, and I'm so proud of the provider that I am." In Episode 5, Kelly also recounted the story of when Gilles Bensimon proposed, and said, "He's a really incredible artist, but he just wasn't a good human to me."
It's true that Kelly isn't the richest cast member from "RHONY," but some feel her story doesn't add up. Fellow former Real Housewife Brandi Glanville disagreed staunchly that such a thing could be true. In a clip from the "Brandi Glanville Unfiltered," Glanville didn't hold back in calling out Kelly for potentially lying. "She claims that she didn't get anything from her ex-husband," the outspoken reality star raged. "I'm sorry but I mean that's just not true. [...] If someone gives you a $12 million house in the Hamptons you got something and I promise you, she didn't get nothing. It's just impossible."
Kelly was allegedly violent with another beau
Fans on Reddit agreed with Brandi Glanville that Kelly Killoren Bensimon's assertions seemed untrue. Many believed she was lying about not getting any support, with some commenters claiming to have insider information. One said, "She is a complete liar. My mom worked with her kids & said the husband [Gilles Bensimon] was the ONLY one involved. She never liked Kelly."
According to Us Weekly, Kelly found new love and got engaged to Scott Litner in 2023. However, a previous relationship ended rather dramatically. In 2009, the former model was accused of allegedly punching her then-boyfriend Nick Stefanov in the face during an argument (via the New York Post). There was also some confusion over whether or not the duo were engaged, with Stefanov claiming that they were while Kelly maintained otherwise.
Kelly admitted that at the time, she should've called somebody for help during the argument. She said she was trying to end her relationship with Stefanov and felt "threatened" (via E! News). The "RHONY" alum's assault misdemeanor charges were dismissed and cleared from her permanent record, but she was mandated to two days of community service and to avoid legal trouble for up to a year after.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.