The Real Reason Kristin Cavallari & Mark Estes' Age Gap Relationship Came To An End
After seven months of dating, former reality star Kristin Cavallari has split with her beau Mark Estes. Since they first confirmed they were an item in February, fans have been skeptical of their romance due to their age difference of 13 years. Consequently, the public has been curious about what ultimately ended things between 37-year-old Cavallari and 24-year-old Montana Boyz TikTok star Estes. Cavallari has opened up about what really went on behind closed doors, and she's not putting the blame on her much younger ex.
On her podcast "Let's Be Honest" on October 1, Cavallari aimed to set the record straight about the dissolution of her latest relationship. She was very clear about the fact that neither her nor Estes was at fault for the split and that there's no bad blood. "It's not because of love lost or something bad happened. No one cheated. No one was mean. No one did anything," she explained. It seems, instead, that this breakup was amicable and came about for prudent reasons. According to her, "It's hard because I broke up with Mark because I just know long-term it's not right."
Despite Estes not being "the one," Cavallari has no regrets. She said: "I really look at our relationship as such a beautiful relationship. Probably the best relationship of my life, quite honestly. It was very healthy and very mature. It was nothing but sweet and loving. Mark is a really good guy. And that's what makes it hard."
The couple's age gap played a role in their split
Not every great romance is meant to last a lifetime, and this is clearly the case for Kristin Cavallari and Mark Estes. Still, just because this breakup wasn't tumultuous or messy doesn't mean that the couple's highly criticized age gap wasn't a factor. In 2013, Cavallari married former Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. The pair had three children together: 12-year old Camden, 10-year-old Jaxon, and 8-year old Saylor. In 2020, the couple announced their split, with Cavallari citing "irreconcilable differences" and "inappropriate marital conduct," per People.
These life experiences clearly contribute to Cavallari's decision to end things with Estes, despite her love for their relationship. On her podcast, she said: "If Mark were 45 and had two of his own older kids, he would be perfect. ... He is such a good guy, but to me it just means I'm one step closer to ultimately finding 'The One,'" The "Laguna Beach" star got choked up sharing that her younger ex "has the whole world ahead of him." She also shared her belief that "one day he will thank me," adding, "That's just hindsight you don't have at 24." So, it seems that in the end, Cavallari and Estes' controversial age gap did, in fact, prove to be too much. Still, all's well that ends well; Cavallari says that she hopes that she and Estes will be friends.