Ree Drummond, aka The Pioneer Woman, has been shockingly affected by a divorce scandal like no other.
She makes a living by giving viewers a glimpse into her home and life in rural Oklahoma on a wildly popular reality show.
But now?
We’ve learned some new information about Drummond’s life, and in the interest of creative transitions, it’s pretty darn wild!
Pioneer Woman Divorce Update: The Affair News shocks fans
Before we get too deep, let’s be clear: Rae Drummond is not getting a divorce. Or rather, she hasn’t made an official announcement that she’s getting a divorce. But we’ll talk more about that in a moment.
The whole divorce discussion was triggered by a shocking report about the extended family. Accordingly radar online, Drummond’s parents – Gerre and William Smith – who received the stunning divorce documents, legally separated in 1997 after 33 years of marriage.
Okay, people get divorced all the time. Why care about something that happened so long ago? So…
A source confirmed to the same source that the couple had filed for divorce because Drummond’s mother was allegedly having an affair – with the family priest!
“It was at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Bartlesville,” the insider said Radar Online.
The principal’s name is Doug Schwert; He was also married when he started sleeping with Drummond’s mother.
Shortly after the infidelity was revealed, the insider confirmed it Radar Online that Gerre divorced Smith and left the state to finally marry Schwert.
The Drummond Affair: What happened to Ree’s parents?
The couple is still married today and currently resides in Signal Mountain, Tennessee.
As you can imagine, this anonymous insider continued, the illicit relationship became a major scandal and gossip topic in Drummond’s hometown of Bartlesville.
“Oh, they were a big family,” the source said of the Smiths in the 1990s. “Ree’s father was a surgeon – I think he still is – and Gerre was very popular and active in the community.”
Drummond was 28 years old and newly married when this affair took place.
Meanwhile, according to court documents, Drummond’s father didn’t want out of the marriage.
“The defendant wishes to continue to live in a loving and supportive marriage with the plaintiff,” William Smith’s response states in the documents that Radar Online has since published.
Ultimately, however, the divorce was finalized on March 7, 1997.
Ree Drummond’s Marriage: Is She Still Dating Ladd?
Is the pioneer facing a divorce like her parents? Fans fear this given her history and if her husband, Ladd Drummond, is absent from her show or social media feed for extended periods of time.
But the truth is, the romance between the Food Network star and her rancher husband appears to be progressing well. In September 2023, the couple celebrated their 27th wedding anniversary.
In her celebratory post on Instagram, Ree even revealed the secret of her long marriage. She shared a photo from a dinner date and wrote:
“I ordered a burger with onion rings and thought I’d also have some fries from Ladd’s. Then Ladd ordered a burger with onion rings because he really wanted onion rings. Then I changed my order to fries because I wanted both fries and onion rings. Ladd said let’s both get fries and cut off one side of the onion rings. And that’s why we’ve been married for 27 years.”
Yes, food is the key to long-lasting love!