Andrew Cabot said he and his wife, former Astronomer human resources chief Kristin Cabot, were "privately and amicably separated several weeks before the Coldplay concert" that produced viral footage of her seated with Astronomer CEO Andy Byron.
The statement, relayed to People by a spokesperson for Andrew Cabot, came as court filings show Kristin Cabot filed for divorce in Portsmouth, New Hampshire on Aug. 13. The couple, who married in 2023, had been the subject of intense media attention after video from a mid‑July Coldplay concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts showed Kristin Cabot and Byron close together on the stadium’s kiss‑cam and attempting to duck out of view as the moment played on the big screen.
Andrew Cabot, who was on a business trip to Japan when the footage spread online, returned to the Rye, New Hampshire home he had shared with Kristin Cabot and their children and was approached by reporters, the spokesperson said. The spokesperson added that the decision to divorce "was already underway prior to that evening" and said Andrew hopes the now‑public filing "provides respectful closure to speculation and allows his family the privacy they've always valued." Publicly available court documents indicate the couple pursued mediation before filing.
The video prompted swift professional consequences for both Astronomer executives. The Denver‑based data company placed Byron and Kristin Cabot on leave as the footage circulated, then announced both had resigned amid the backlash. In a statement, Astronomer said its product and customer work had not changed even as "awareness of our company may have changed overnight." Pete DeJoy, who was named interim chief executive, wrote on LinkedIn that the spotlight had been "unusual and surreal" and acknowledged the company had become a household name in the wake of the incident.
The moment also drew widespread public attention at the concert. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin quipped from the stage, "Oh what… either they're having an affair or they're very shy," and the crowd reaction was captured in video that quickly amassed millions of views online.
Media reports said Kristin Cabot, 56, and Byron, 50, had been seated in the front row of the mezzanine. The Daily Mail reported that Byron’s wife, Megan Kerrigan, moved out of the family home and removed her married name from social media after the footage spread; the outlet also published accounts from people close to the couples and various background details about Andrew Cabot’s New England family ties. Andrew Cabot is the chief executive of Privateer Rum; reports have described him as descended from a prominent Boston family with reported wealth that some outlets have estimated at about $15 billion. Reports have also detailed Byron’s compensation and holdings at Astronomer, including media estimates of substantial wealth and equity tied to the company’s valuation.
Both Astronomer and those involved have described ongoing private and legal processes. With the divorce petition filed publicly, Andrew Cabot’s spokesperson said the family seeks privacy as proceedings continue. Astronomer has said it remains committed to serving customers as it addresses leadership changes made in the incident’s aftermath.