Country singer Morgan Wade is reportedly taking a significant step back from her once-intensifying connection with Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards, amid mounting legal and emotional strain surrounding Kyle’s drawn-out separation from Mauricio Umansky.
A close friend of Wade’s has exclusively revealed to DailyMail+ that while the two women shared an undeniable bond throughout 2023 and early 2024, the recent escalation in Kyle’s financial entanglements and looming divorce drama has caused Morgan to "hit pause on the closeness" of their relationship.
“She never signed up for this circus,” the insider began. “When things between them started heating up, it was in private. There were road trips, small concerts, and nights where it was just the two of them unplugged from the world. But now? Kyle’s whole life is on a stage, and Morgan’s getting caught in the crossfire.”
Sources say Morgan, 29, has become increasingly uncomfortable being pulled into the Bravo orbit – particularly as speculation around her role in Kyle’s separation from Mauricio continues to dominate headlines and RHOBH fan discourse.
“There’s a huge difference between sharing a stage with a guitar and sharing a life with someone whose divorce could involve $100 million and a $57 billion company,” the friend added. “It’s overwhelming.”
Tension reportedly began brewing in early spring, after Kyle, 56, was advised to prepare documentation relating to her potential stake in The Agency – the real estate empire co-founded by Mauricio during their marriage. Legal experts have speculated that Kyle’s on-camera comments about helping start the company could factor heavily into the property division.
In the midst of it all, insiders say Morgan grew frustrated with the feeling that she had become “a storyline,” rather than a real person in Kyle’s life.
“She felt like a character on a reality show she never agreed to be part of,” another source close to Kyle’s inner circle said. “Morgan never wanted to be anyone’s plot twist. She values her privacy, and with every new headline, that’s been slipping away.”
Despite public speculation over the nature of their relationship, Kyle and Morgan have consistently avoided confirming or denying whether their connection was romantic. In RHOBH Season 13, Kyle maintained that the two were close friends with a “deep bond,” while also saying that Morgan “came into [her] life at the right time.”
But recent behavior has only fueled talk of a rift. Morgan hasn’t been spotted publicly with Kyle since early May, and eagle-eyed fans have noted that the singer hasn’t liked any of Kyle’s posts in weeks – a significant shift from last year, when the two frequently commented on and reshared each other’s content.
Adding further fuel to the rumors, Morgan was seen this past weekend attending a Nashville music industry dinner without Kyle – despite the two having previously been nearly inseparable during such events.
“She’s stepping back, not because she doesn’t care about Kyle,” the friend insisted, “but because she’s not built for legal warfare, PR spin, and being chased by paparazzi at Erewhon. That’s not the life she chose. And lately, it’s all starting to feel like too much.”
Whether the pause in their dynamic is permanent remains unclear. Sources close to Kyle say she’s still hopeful the friendship – or something deeper – can be salvaged once the dust settles.
But with lawyers circling, assets in play, and cameras constantly rolling, one thing is certain: the quiet, low-key bond that once brought two very different women together is now being tested in the harshest spotlight Bravo has ever cast.
