Real Housewives: Inside Teresa Giudice’s divorce from Joe Giudice
Real Housewives of New Jersey stars Teresa and Joe Giudice have finalized their divorce. Page Six confirmed that the celebrity couple permanently split after two decades of marriage, though they will continue to raise their daughters together.
“This is obviously the beginning of a new and exciting chapter for both Joe and Teresa as individuals,” explained Giudice family attorney James J. Leonard Jr. “They remain committed to continuing to raise their four amazing daughters and co-parent as they have for the last few years.”
Teresa and Joe knew each other as teenagers in New Jersey, and they eventually married on October 23, 1999. They welcomed their first daughter Gia in January 2001, followed by Gabriella in October 2004, Milania in February 2006, and their youngest, Audriana, in September 2009.
Legal problems
The couple became celebrities during the first season of Real Housewives in 2009, but Hollywood Life reported that Joe’s rumored infidelity began to sour their relationship. During a 2012 reunion episode, a cast member confronted Teresa about Joe’s cheating. “You told me you walked in on your husband when he had someone on the desk in his office,” they stated. “You caught him with the secretary, babysitter.”
Both Teresa and Joe have served prison time during their marriage. Teresa served an eleven-month sentence for fraud in 2015, while Joe served a forty-one month sentence in federal prison after pleading guilty to mail, wire, and multiple counts of bankruptcy fraud. Joe completed his sentence in 2019, but he was faced with deportation to Italy following his release. The deportation proved to be the last straw in their relationship.
Teresa discussed whether she would uproot her family and move to Italy with Joe during the reunion episode for season 9 of Real Housewives. “I hope that’s not a decision I have to make, but to pick up my children and just move to another country, I don’t think that would be good for my children,” she admitted. “So, I mean, so, no, I probably wouldn’t. I’m not doing a long-distance relationship, I’m not doing it.”
Long distance dilemma
The reality star also hinted at Joe’s rumored infidelity. “I know exactly what happens — I’m sure he’ll be with other women, it happens,” she told host Andy Cohen. “We do the long-distance thing, it’s not going to work, I’d be like, ‘Bye-bye.’ It’s just a lot to deal with, my children, what’s gonna happen with him, it’s a lot.”
According to People, the couple decided to separate after a family trip in November 2019. “They discussed their future when Teresa and the girls went to Italy in November and they agreed that each had to move on,” a source told the outlet. “They are doing so amicably and very slowly. They have been very friendly with one another and are very supportive of each other’s happiness.”
Joe talked about the divorce on Instagram, addressing what he felt were his marital shortcomings. “No matter how much energy and time I devoted to trying it failed,” he wrote. “I did my best and put all efforts into making this a great experience for my family. I did try to address issues in the relationship that bothered me throughout the years in return portrayed it as criticism!”
Amicable split
“Today I see, I can’t allow others to keep lingering toxins and undesirable demands around me,” Joe added. “I choose to have a solid foundation with strong and inspiring people around me in it.”
Regardless of their marital status, Teresa stated that she will always have love for Joe as a person. “We’re both two different people now. I don’t know, I’m not the same Teresa I was, and I know he’s not the same Joe,” she admitted. “Like I told him, no matter what, I always want us to respect each other and I do love him as a person. I’ll start crying because I do, I care about him, I love him.”
TMZ announced that Teresa recently put her Montville house on the market for $2.5 million. The house was featured on Real Housewives, and served as the main hub for Teresa and Joe before their respective convictions.
