Well, that was an extremely long four years. Real Housewives of New York City star Bethenny Frankel and Jason Hoppy are officially divorced, People confirmed Monday. "Jason is thrilled that this chapter of his life is over; he is extremely pleased with the settlement that was reached," Hoppy's attorney, Bernard Clair, said in a statement obtained by People. "Jason looks forward to the future and enjoying that time privately with family, friends and most important to him, his daughter." Per Clair, the terms surrounding their settlement are remaining private and confidential. Update: Frankel's lawyer released the following statement to E! News: "Out of respect for her privacy and the well-being of her daughter, Bethenny is declining to comment. We can confirm that the divorce has been resolved. Our client is ecstatic that this long chapter is over, and she is looking forward to moving on with her life."
Earlier: Frankel and Hoppy first announced their split in December 2012. At the time of the announcement, the Skinnygirl mogul said in a statement (via People), "We have love and respect for one another and will continue to amicably co-parent our daughter who is and will always remain our first priority. This is an immensely painful and heartbreaking time for us." The latter definitely remained true, especially based on RHONY and interviews given by Frankel about her divorce. As fans of the reality star know, the split wasn't easy for the 45-year-old and it has definitely a taken a toll on her.
As People detailed about a May 2014 court appearance, Frankel even claimed living with Hoppy was "brutal, horrendous, excruciating … he would not let me be alone with Bryn in the apartment." At the time, People reported that Clair told the judge in court, "Bethenny Frankel's priority is Bethenny Frankel. In pursuit of career success, she has used the child as a prop."
In April, she also opened up about the long-winded divorce with People and said,
"I feel like I'm on the 18th hole of the golf round now. I feel like we're here. I feel like I survived something. When it all shakes down, I'll be a woman who has not kind of just felt backed into a corner. I stayed strong and I did what was best for myself, my daughter, for women."
At the beginning of July, Hoppy also moved out of Frankel's Tribeca apartment. She revealed the news on her Sirius XM radio show, B Real With Bethenny, and expressed how wonderful it felt.
"I walked in and it just washed over me. I sobbed for hours. It was like this release. And you always think things are going to be one way. I thought it was going to be like the biggest party ever, I’d be roller-skating through there with my top off, my t*ts hanging out, so excited, and there’s nothing good about any of it. It was all just remembering moving in there. It was a hideous experience, and I just didn’t know how to even process the feeling."
Overall, July seems to have been a great month so far for Frankel regarding officially cutting all ties with Hoppy. She has yet to comment on the finalization of her divorce, but I can only imagine she is thrilled to be able to finally move forward.
