In January 2025, it was announced that the Grand Dame herself would be absent from The Real Housewives of Potomac Season 9 reunion. Karen Huger was unable to attend the reunion because she willingly went to rehab after being convicted of a DUI in March 2024, according to The Daily Dish.

Karen is one of a few iconic Housewives who did not arrive to film the reunion episode. This can have huge repercussions for a reality show and can severely affect a Housewife’s place on the show. An insider told Us Weekly, “Housewives don’t get fully paid for the season until it’s over and the reunion has been filmed.” Considering this is a contractual obligation, it’s shocking some Housewives risk it all for an absence.

Although there have been a few exceptions over the years, like medical reasons and trips to rehab, it’s rare that Housewives do not return once they miss a season reunion.

Jen Shah

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Jen Shah didn’t make the Season 3 reunion taping due to her legal issues. She posted on a now-deleted Instagram posted by Us Weekly that she was prohibited from attending the reunion because Bravo found it “unsatisfactory” that she was unwilling to discuss her ongoing legal troubles.

She admitted she was “disappointed” that she could not address “inaccuracies” and her “storyline” during the finale.

The reunion came just before Jen entered a guilty plea for her role in an alleged telemarketing scheme scandal. “I was clear with Bravo that out of respect for the courts and a standing judicial order, I would not be in a position to discuss anything related to my legal case or sentencing.”

Adrienne Maloof

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Adrienne Maloof was among the first Housewives to not appear at a reunion on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

During the Season 3 reunion, Adrienne chose to be a no-show after Brandi Glanville revealed that she used a surrogate to conceive her sons. At the time, Adrienne’s sons were unaware their mother did not carry them, and Bravo was forced to bleep the word “surrogate” after Adrienne threatened legal action.

Andy Cohen kickstarted the reunion with the now infamous statement, “Adrienne Maloof’s final act as a Housewife is not showing up tonight.” Her refusal to attend the reunion caused her to be fired from the show.

• Adrienne later admitted on The Daily Dish podcast aired in 2020, per Reality Tea, that she regretted missing out on the reunion.

Kim Richards

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Kim Richards skipped sitting down with her The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills co-stars for the Season 2 reunion. Instead, she sat down with Andy Cohen for a one-on-one special where she admitted her alcoholism. Due to the sensitive nature of the topic, Kim returned to the franchise after she was healthy.

“When it was clear that it was a real problem, we wanted to be responsible and we didn’t want to put her in a situation where anything could be exacerbated,” Andy Cohen explained in Dave Quinn’s book Not All Diamonds and Rosé, per Page Six. “We considered her family and wanted to work with her to get her better. Bravo paid for her rehab.”

Jacqueline Laurita

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

Jacqueline Laurita sat out from Season 3 of The Real Housewives of New Jersey reunion. At the time, it was announced she was sick, but the reunion was filmed mid-way through Season 4 when the Housewives were feuding.

• Fans believe this incident is why Housewives lost their seats after missing the reunion.

Shortly before the reunion, Jacqueline got into a huge row with Teresa Giudice, known as “Strippergate.” She explained her absence in a Bravo blog, per Too Fab, admitting that they could not spoil Season 4, so she would have had to sit in an unexplained “animosity.”

Luann De Lesseps

The Real Housewives of New York

Luann de Lesseps’s return to rehab forced her to miss The Real Housewives of New York City’s Season 10 reunion taping. Due to the personal nature of her missing the reunion, she faced no repercussions and returned for Season 11.

“Bravo supports Luann’s decision to focus on her health. She is part of the Bravo family, and we continue to stand by her as she copes with this challenging situation. At this time, we hope everyone will respect her privacy,” a Bravo statement read, per PEOPLE.

The Countess authorized her co-star Bethenny Frankel to speak on her behalf, “This weekend, Luann was surrounded by her girlfriends and decided — with their support — that in light of recent circumstances, it is the healthiest choice for her not to attend Tuesday’s reunion taping so that she can continue in her healing process,” Bethenny told PEOPLE.

Luann admitted that she couldn’t face watching the reunion she missed. “I watched five minutes of it, and it was so dark,” Luann said at a live show, per PEOPLE. “I was like, ‘Jesus… ‘”

Lisa Vanderpump

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Lisa Vanderpump missed The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Season 9 reunion amid the “Puppygate” scandal, in which she was accused of leaking stories to the media regarding Dorit Kemsley’s dog. The restauranteur stopped filming the Bravo show mid-season and quit the show altogether.

According to Us Weekly, she missed out on a big payday by skipping the reunion. “Lisa only gets half of her pay for the season if she doesn’t go to the reunion, but she still chose not to go,” a source told the outlet at the time.

Mary Cosby

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City

Mary Cosby skipped Season 2 of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City reunion because she thought it would be “one-sided.”

“Everyone heard one side of what they felt. I mean, they told lies, one side of my story,” she said on social media, per PEOPLE.

“And I was not going to get on the reunion for a four-part reunion and talk about this guy who has passed.” She said this in reference to Cameron Williams, the late friend of Lisa Barlow, who alleged he donated a huge amount of money to Mary’s church.

Andy Cohen told PEOPLE it was “very disappointing” that Mary chose not to attend the taping of the reunion. But the WWHL also admitted he “had a sense” that she would likely skip the occasion.

Andy admitted that he doesn’t like Housewives skipping reunions because “You allow the others to control your narrative as your last gesture.” While Mary quit the reality show that season, she soon returned to the Utah-based series for Season 5.