Whitney Rose Opens Up About 'Devastating' Divorce

Whitney Rose, star of "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City," has spoken publicly for the first time about her divorce from Justin Rose, describing the process as "devastating" but ultimately finding peace in her decision.

"I'm the one who filed. I made that choice," Rose stated on Thursday during an appearance on SiriusXM's Page Six Radio. "And you see it play out through the season. It took me a long time to get here."

Rose, 40, emphasized her commitment to making the nearly 17-year marriage work, stating, "I gave it my all and tried everything." Despite the sadness and difficulty of the situation, she expressed a sense of personal well-being, "I am glowing because I'm finding happiness and peace. I have peace in my heart through all the chaos. I love Justin. I love my family."

With the divorce finalized, Rose and her ex-husband are prioritizing their two children: daughter Bobbie, 16, and son Brooks, 13. "We are keeping it peaceful, amicable and we're co-parenting well," she shared.

Rose reflected on how her upbringing and "Mormon roots" influenced her perspective on marriage and divorce. Having grown up in a family where divorce was present and her childhood was challenging, she felt a strong internal programming against divorce. "I still have that Mormon programming running through my brain that you don't get divorced. You don't do that to your family," she explained.

She admitted to delaying the conversation with her children about the separation, fearing their reaction. "I pushed off doing it and having the conversation with them for so long. I think me choosing to leave the home, separating and nesting, we put that off for so long because I was so scared to tell the kids," Rose said. "But once I told the kids, they were like, 'Thank you. We want you happy. We want dad happy.'"

Rose also stated that remaining in an unhappy situation would have been "more selfish of me." She confirmed that her children are coping well, attributing it to having two supportive parents who love them and are actively involved in their lives. "And we are both showing up for them," she added.

Page Six exclusively reported that Rose filed for divorce in Salt Lake City on a Tuesday, just hours before attending Page Six's second annual “Virtual Reali-Tea” Awards. A proposed parenting plan was also submitted.

Previously, Page Six reported in July that Rose and her husband were "living separate lives," with some sources indicating they had already separated. An insider noted their lack of joint appearances, even at shared locations like the gym.

The article also touched upon the challenges relationships face within the context of "RHOSLC," referencing the recent separation of co-star Angie Katsanevas from her husband Shawn Trujillo.