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‘RHORI’: What We Know About Kelsey Swanson’s Boyfriend & Their Relationship
“I live a life of luxury, and I’ve been lucky to be a lady of leisure for 10 years now,” Kelsey Swanson says in a sneak peek for the first season of The Real Housewives of Rhode Island. “My relationship is very unorthodox. You know, this man dates multiple people.”
The new Bravo star further addressed her unconventional relationship on Today With Jenna & Sheinelle on March 30, telling guest cohost Matt Rogers, “I’ve tried to be as open and honest as possible about it and put it out on the table.”
While Kelsey has not revealed the identity of her long-term boyfriend, her Bravo bio revealed that he is “one of Rhode Island’s most notable figures.” Kelsey also gave Swooon some intel about their relationship. Scroll down for everything we know so far.
How did Kelsey Swanson meet her boyfriend?
Kelsey met her boyfriend at a tanning salon where her friend worked. The salon was owned by her boyfriend’s best friend. “I met him through visiting [my best friend],” Kelsey explained to Swooon. “There was a little smoothie/protein shake bar inside the tanning salon, so he would go there and get one, and I would go there and get one.”
The salon owner threw a party, which Kelsey and her friend went to. “We met there,” she revealed. “I think we made out for two hours straight, and the rest was history. Maybe two months later, he was like, ‘Wanna go to London? Wanna go to Spain?’ And I’m like, ‘Sure!’ Been together ever since.”
What is the age difference between Kelsey Swanson and her boyfriend?
Kelsey confirmed to Swooon that her boyfriend is 23 years older than her, but added the assurance, “He’s very handsome. This isn’t some, like, I’m dating an old, disgusting man. He is very attractive. He takes care of himself. He’s active. He’s, like, 25 at heart.”
The two met when Kelsey was 19 years old and “hung out” for the first time when she was 20. Her boyfriend was 43 at the time.
Is Kelsey Swanson a polygamist?
In a preview for RHORI, Rosie DiMare mentions to some of the other ladies that she thought Kelsey was a polygamist. “Her boyfriend has a girlfriend here and a girlfriend in Florida, no?” Rosie wonders.
However, Kelsey insisted to Swooon that she is not a polygamist. “I feel like that’s such a dramatic term for my relationship,” she said. “I think there were times where we had a don’t ask, don’t tell relationship. I let him do what he wanted, and he pretended he didn’t know what I was doing. It was a weird dynamic.”
She said “maybe” the right term to describe her relationship would be “polyamorous,” adding, “We accepted a certain relationship, but not polygamous. We weren’t even married.”
Does Kelsey’s boyfriend have kids?
Yes, Kelsey’s boyfriend has two kids “that are three years younger than me,” Kelsey told us. She also confirmed that she has a relationship with the kids. “One of them got married in September 2024 and I did her makeup for her wedding,” she shared. “We are totally fine. As they got older and I got older, it just grew normal, and they didn’t care.”
The Real Housewives of Rhode Island, Series Premiere, Thursday, April 2, 9/8c, Bravo
