She hasn't been married to Lionel Richie for more than two decades, but fans of the singer still remember who Brenda Harvey-Richie is. After all, there were scandalous headlines about the former couple when Brenda caught Lionel with his mistress-turned-second-wife, Diane Alexander.
Brenda Harvey-Richie caught a lot of heat for getting physical with Lionel, though most fans could understand her frustrations. She and Lionel were married and they had their daughter Nicole Richie together, so the betrayal must have hurt.
The thing is, after Brenda Harvey-Richie finally divorced Lionel, she didn't seem to move on in a big way. She faded from the spotlight as Lionel went on to marry (and subsequently divorce) Diane Alexander. Headlines focused on Lionel's son Miles and daughter Sofia with Diane, and Brenda didn't factor in much.
Brenda Harvey-Richie didn't have a splashy second wedding, never dropped her hyphenated last name, and hasn't seemed to publicly embrace a relationship. But why?
Did Lionel Richie's First Wife Remarry?
The short answer is that no, Lionel Richie's first wife never remarried. In fact, searching for information on Brenda Richie's marriage only turns up the reminder that she was once wed to Lionel Richie.
What's less clear is whether Brenda had any serious relationships after splitting from the singer in 1993.
After eighteen years of marriage ending the way they did, no one would blame Harvey-Richie for taking a break from relationships. But if she did have any relationships after Lionel, she has kept very quiet about her possible partners.
Why Didn't Brenda Harvey-Richie Remarry?
A possible, and very simple, answer to the question of why Brenda never remarried is simply that she may not want to. Even if she has had relationships since Lionel, maybe she's not interested in marriage.
A lot of people wouldn't be after such drama and publicity surrounding their divorce. Yet the publicity itself could be a reason why Brenda hasn't tied the knot with someone else. Or, at the very least, changed her legal name.
Brenda Only Uses Her Ex's Name On Social Media
Interestingly, Brenda's social media indicates she has no intention of dropping Lionel's last name. For one thing, her Instagram handle is Brenda H Richie, so instead of going with her maiden name, she continues to highlight Lionel's surname.
She hasn't explicitly given a reason for that choice, but fans can guess there are a few potential explanations. For one thing, it could be that she wants to continue to share the same last name with her daughter, Nicole Richie.
Though Nicole is now married, she still goes by her maiden name in many instances, as a lot of famous women tend to. Because Nicole was adopted (and when she was already nine), it's possible Brenda kept her last name the same to stick by her daughter.
Or, maybe she enjoys the bit of publicity that comes from keeping Lionel's name; it helps her be identified, and lets people find her on social media and elsewhere. To be fair, the name Brenda Harvey isn't that noticeable.
And it seems as if Lionel himself doesn't really care that his ex kept his name, or that she's never remarried or had more kids.
Lionel Richie And Brenda Harvey-Richie Are On Good Terms
Surprisingly, after their decades-ago drama and the end of their relationship, Brenda and Lionel are now on very good terms. Not only does Brenda Harvey-Richie call Lionel's second wife's kids her own (she often posts about Sofia and Miles, in addition to Nicole), but the family rubs elbows often.
In an interview, Lionel even admitted that he was on better terms with Brenda because of Nicole's daughter (and later son) being born. In an interview when Harlow was little, Lionel stated that the family's first grandchild "brings joy" to the family and that she "kind of erase[d] all of the baggage."
Brenda Harvey-Richie Is Still In The Industry
Given her musical background and her high-profile connections in Hollywood, it makes sense that Brenda Harvey-Richie is still very much immersed in Lionel's world. Yes, she's close with his other two kids, but she also has her own connections with famous faces.
And after so many years of being married to Lionel, she probably doesn't feel the need to remarry and revamp her image, or change her name, to reflect how she's changed and moved on over time.
She has plenty going on in her life and clearly doesn't waste any time worrying over the past anymore, something that her fans definitely respect her for.
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