Luann de Lesseps Opens Up About Divorce in Sag Harbor

By SOTH Team

4 minute 09/07/2017

Andy Cohen and Luann De Lesseps on Watch What Happens Live, Photo: Bravo

Veteran Real Housewives of New York City star Luann de Lesseps revealed what led to her divorce from Tom D’Agostino last night in a special Watch What Happens Live interview with Andy Cohen. The couple married on New Year’s Eve and announced their divorce in August, just seven months later.

During the one-on-one interview, filmed at de Lesseps waterfront home in Sag Harbor, the former countess and ex D’Agostino told Cohen all about the breakup and its aftermath. She said it was the result of her husband’s perceived infidelity—rumors about it in the press and seeing his “sneaky” actions on this season of RHONY—and, ultimately, his inability to embrace real married life.

Though de Lesseps said she believes D’Agostino never actually cheated, the flirtation, seeing old girlfriends and his refusal to stay home and be a husband finally led her to file for divorce.

“Every week it was the same thing, and I was like, you know, I can’t do this anymore,” de Lesseps said. “I don’t think he could really give up his bachelor life to lead a married life the way I wanted to.”

Still, de Lesseps said she believes D’Agostino married her for love—he just didn’t realize what married life, at least her idea of it, would be. “I think that he really loved me, I really do, and he still loves me—at this age it’s really hard to change people,” she said, but added, “I expected more.”

Fans of the show remember her fellow Housewives warning de Lesseps not to marry D’Agostino, and telling her about his wily ways, but she insisted they were living a life of romantic bliss before and after the wedding. Despite her clashes with them at the time, De Lesseps said, “I wish I would have listened [to their warnings]” and pointed out that all but one of her ROHNY cast mates offered graceful sympathy after she announced her pending divorce.

“I’ve been through a lot—the last I want to hear from them is ‘told you so,'” she said, noting Bethenny Frankel, Ramona Singer, Dorinda Medley and Sonja Morgan all offered their regrets and support. Only Carole Radziwill failed reach out, neither with kindness nor “I told you sos.”

While de Lesseps and D’Agostino have not completed their divorce proceedings, it appears the couple will split amicably—unlike, for example, Frankel’s nightmare divorce from ex hubby Jason Hoppy.

“You can’t blame somebody 100 percent,” she told Cohen. “It takes two to tango. It was a bad situation that was not going to get any better, so I don’t blame him,” de Lesseps said. “I just feel like, you know, life takes care of itself in a certain way.”

D’Agostino seems to concur. “I fell in love, got married quickly and am very sad that two people in love are not together,” he told E! News on Wednesday, hours before de Lesseps’ interview aired. “The publicized reasons for the divorce make for a great reality TV story line. I wish Luann much happiness and love.”