Amid an emotional discussion on The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th, Kyle Richards tearfully shared daughter Portia Umansky’s feelings about growing up in front of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cameras. Because Portia was only two years old when RHOBH premiered in 2010, Kyle noted that her and Mauricio Umansky’s youngest daughter can’t even remember a time when she wasn’t on TV.
How to Watch
The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th airs on Sundays at 9 p.m. EST. Episodes stream next day on Peacock.
During Episode 7’s New York City stop on RHUGT: Roaring 20th, Kyle said that she “always connected with” castmate Teresa Giudice because they both have four daughters. As both women cried, Kyle opened up about Portia’s recent college application process, namely how the now-18-year-old had written an admissions essay about her nearly lifelong experience on reality TV.
“She has no memory of a life before this,” Kyle explained to the group. “She talked about being judged, and people thinking things, and how she grew up with that, and she had a microphone on for, you know, birthday parties and things like that.”
How did Kyle Richards feel about Portia Umansky’s response to growing up on RHOBH?
Kyle further shared on RHUGT‘s Sept. 20 episode that reading Portia’s college application essay left her with an “overwhelming” feeling of guilt. “I carry that now,” she added, as the other women chimed in to offer words of support and to share their own similar experiences as mothers on reality TV.
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In a confessional, Kyle added, “Even though it’s been a positive experience overall, she was so little, and it wasn’t like she signed off on it. It was my choice. And I grew up in front of the cameras, so I didn’t really think it’s a big deal. But it has been her entire life. And I do think about that now. And that is on me.”
What is Kyle Richards’ daughter Portia Umansky doing now?
In an exclusive interview with Bravo Insider earlier the same month, Kyle — who’s also mom to daughters Farrah Brittany Aldjufrie, Alexia Umansky, and Sophia Umansky — shared even more about preparing to send her youngest child off to college.
“I’m really prepping myself psychologically because she is my baby, the youngest,” Kyle said, at the time. “Thank God I still have Sophia living at home with me.”
Even amid what she referred to as a “really scary” time, Kyle added that Portia’s new chapter also had an “exciting” element. “I’m just trying to focus on the exciting part,” she said. “And I’m grateful that she’s not a five-hour flight away from me like her sisters were.”
Portia Umansky opens up about Kyle Richards and Mauricio Umansky’s split
Portia’s college admissions essay wasn’t her only piece of writing that had contributed to Kyle’s “mom guilt” recently. While reflecting on her and Mauricio’s separation after 27 years of marriage on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills After Show for Season 15, Kyle said that Portia had written a heartbreaking poem in the aftermath of their October 2023 split announcement.
“[It] really hit me really hard,” Kyle shared on a January 2026 episode of the RHOBH After Show. “And I sent it to Mau, and it hit him really hard. And I just said … ‘Look what we did. Look what we allowed to happen.'”
RELATED: Kyle Richards Tearfully Reveals Heartbreaking Text From Mauricio: “Don’t Know How We Got Here”
She added, “It’s hard when you think of it like that, you know? So, you analyze, you know, if we had maybe not done this, if we had not made these changes, if we had just stayed like we were and appreciated everything we had, what would have happened? Would things have changed anyway? I don’t know.”
As the celebration of 20 years of Housewives continues, don’t miss details on Kyle’s earlier RHUGT drama involving Mauricio.
