Kyle Richards on Real Reason Mauricio Was Absent at Memorial

Credit: Rich Polk/Bravo, Shutterstock/ Michael Mattes

Kyle Richards took to her Instagram Story on Thursday night to defend her estranged husband, Mauricio Umansky, against backlash following his absence at her late BFF Lorene Shea‘s celebration of life ceremony on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

After Sutton Stracke, 52, said his skipping of the event was a “red flag” and noted that it was “interesting” that Morgan Wade, 29, was “such a rock” for Kyle, 55, she shared a message with her fans and followers, telling her audience that she didn’t feel it was “fair” that Mauricio, 53, had faced such criticism.

“I wanted to clarify this… I did many times then but I guess I need to again,” Kyle began on January 18. “Moe offered to cancel his trip multiple times. Even though there were many people involved in this trip. I told him he did not need to do that. The date of the event was changed last minute and none of the other men were attending. I had a lot of support around me that night. It’s not fair to put that on him.”

Along with Kyle’s post, she shared a clip from the latest RHOBH: After Show, which featured Sutton and Garcelle Beauvais, 57, discussing Mauricio’s absence at Lorene’s event.

On the January 17 episode of the RHOBH: After Show, Sutton had been critical of Mauricio.

“This is a huge red flag for me. You planned this. You know how many dates before there are so your husband can plan to be there,” Sutton noted as Garcelle revealed that Morgan “was the big support” of the evening.

“When Morgan was singing, Kyle was next to me. I could feel her emotions,” Garcelle said of Kyle.

But Sutton was suspicious.

“It’s interesting that someone so new in your life can have such a big impact and be such a rock,” she shared. “But there’s always a season or reason so maybe this is Morgan’s season.”

As for Kyle, she explained why Mauricio wasn’t present as she confirmed he was close to Lorene.

“He also loved Lorene … He really did and she loved him so much,” Kyle revealed. “So it’s been hard.”

“I didn’t want to hear about [his absence] and I didn’t want him to feel bad hearing that on camera when it genuinely was not his fault at all,” she continued. “He would’ve been there for her and for me, but you know, I had to choose this date for a certain reason, and he had already had something on the books with The Agency that he couldn’t change. That’s the stuff I’m like, ‘Okay great.’ Now it’s gonna look like, ‘Mo didn’t show up to support you.’ [But] he did nothing wrong.”

“It’s an impossible situation. Just don’t feel bad about that,” Erika Jayne, 52, replied.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season 13 airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on Bravo.