Hollywood marriages aren’t exactly known for their long-lasting qualities. That’s precisely what makes Kelly Ripa’s marriage to Mark Consuelos so fascinating. This is a couple who met in 1995 on the set of the daytime television show on which they both starred, and they eloped a year later. They married in Las Vegas on May 1, 1996, and they celebrated a staggering 26 years of marriage in 2022. Twenty-six years of marriage in their industry is virtually unheard of, and only a few other stars have managed to make their relationship last so long. However, Ripa made an announcement regarding in July of 2022 that shocked the world. What shocking announcement did Kelly Ripa make about her marriage to Mark Consuelos after 26 seemingly happy years?
Twenty-Six Years and Three Kids Together
Getting married is one thing, having kids is another thing entirely. This is a couple who met and got married in less than a year, and they welcomed their first child only a month after celebrating their first wedding anniversary. It’s a lot to happen to a couple in a short period of time. Their son, Michael Joseph, was born on June 2, 1997. Following the birth of their firstborn, it would be another four years before the couple would welcome their second child, their only daughter, Lola Grace. She was born on June 16, 2001. Their third and youngest child, Joaquin Antonio, was born on February 24, 2003. The most amazing story, however, is how the world found out she was pregnant with Lola Grace. She was not yet the co-host of Live! With Regis and Kelly, but she was guest-hosting with Regis on November 1, 2000. The show welcomed a psychic that day as a guest, and her name is Char Margolis. While she had already co-hosted numerous times alongside Regis, Ripa had not yet been hired for the job when the psychic told her – on live television – that Ripa was pregnant. She knew, of course, and she was caught off guard. She replied, “I haven’t told my boss yet!” and that was history. Ripa got the job, and she spent a decade – from 2001 until 2011 – co-hosting with Regis until his retirement. Following the iconic host’s retirement, she was named the main host of the show, and she’s held the position, along with the roles of actress, wife, and mother, for 21 years now. Her husband often co-hosts the show alongside her when there is a day off for her hosts, and their dynamic is amazing. They clearly have chemistry, they are clearly very happy, and it works for them.
What’s Wrong After 26 Years Together?
Kelly Ripa was noticeably absent from the hosting chair of her morning talk show with Ryan Seacrest in June of 2022, and fans were curious where she went. Upon her return on July 5, 2022, she made it very clear to Ryan Seacrest that her absence from the show had everything to do with her marriage. “This is our first vacation in 25 years without children and parents. It’s usually us, with the kids or…kit and caboodle,” was her announcement. In 26 years of marriage and 25 years of parenting, they’d not taken a single vacation as a couple throughout the years, which came as a shock to the world. From a parenting perspective, this is not nearly as shocking as it sounds. Many of us have babies and small children and never go on a full vacation without the kids while still taking time to enjoy date nights and a night or two away here and there – but anything longer than two or three nights is a no-go for many parents simply because parenting multiple children requires a great deal of work pertaining to their own schedules, etc. As the kids get a little older, they really become so much more fun, and you want to take them with you on vacation. They’re just…fun.
Are Mark and Kelly in a Good Place?
With three grown children who are in college and working, they are definitely in a good place. They’ve spent their time raising three great kids, and now they get to enjoy the time they want to enjoy being married and having a little more time alone in their lives. It is a marital rite of passage, and they are enjoying it. The talk show host shared details of their first child-free vacation with her fans, too. They spent time in the Midwest doing things like rock climbing in Utah and hiking in Colorado. They had couple’s massages and went to dinner. They enjoyed themselves tremendously, and it just so happens that Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa are in a great place in their marriage and in their lives.