Sutton Stracke joined The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in the 10th season as a friend of the series. By season 11, Sutton had joined the roster as an official Housewife. She quickly became a standout cast member due to her opposing thoughts on Erika Jayne's infamous divorce and lawsuits. In a lot of ways, Sutton is season 11's hero because of her strength against Erika's group of followers.
Fans of the show know a few things about Sutton, but there are large chunks in her personal life that are left out of the show. Her youth as a Georgia debutante has been well documented in the series, but now that she's living her life in Beverly Hills, fans are dying to know more about Sutton's past, present and future.
Why Did Sutton And Christian Got Divorced?
Sutton isn't one to talk about her personal life often. Viewers know that she came into a large sum of money after her divorce, but not much is known about her ex or their reason for breaking up.
Sutton and Christian Stracke met each other in high school, according to The New York Times, and got married in 2000. However, after almost 20 years of marriage, the two divorced and went their separate ways. Sutton hasn't spoken much about her divorce, but in a deleted scene from season 11, Sutton told the Housewives what happened. Reality Tea noted that Sutton said her ex-husband filed for divorce on her birthday. "I had no idea he filed," she said. "The next day, he called me. He was flying to Florida and he said, ‘You need to get an attorney.'" Sutton noted that the two were separated but she didn't think that meant they were "separated forever." She's one of many Real Housewives cast members who are divorced.
What Is Sutton's Connection To Lisa Rinna?
One of the reasons why Sutton joined the show was because she was friends with Lisa Rinna. The two met years ago because of their children. In an interview with Bravo's The Daily Dish, Sutton said about Rinna, "We do have a lot in common with, like, our children. That’s a definite commonality. And she was helpful to me years ago, helping me [by] writing a letter of recommendation for my daughter to go to high school and that kind of thing." While Sutton and Rinna's friendship has taken a sharp turn in season 11 due to Lisa Rinna's shocking decision to support Erika in the Erika vs. Sutton feud, these two have a long history.
Sutton's Party Planning Skills Are Nationally Ranked
Sutton made it known early on that she's a woman of good taste who respects etiquette. In her first season, she made a big deal when she was at dinner parties that didn't have assigned seating because she didn't know where to sit or who to sit next to. Fans finally saw an event by Sutton in a Parisian-themed lunch that she held at Kyle's rental.
According to Slice, Sutton isn't just a great party thrower; she's the hostess with the mostest. The Salonniere is a website that's dedicated to parties, hosting, and beyond. Every year, they rank the top party throwers. The brand ranked Sutton No. 39 out of 100 people in 2015. However, if Sutton is a party planning extraordinaire, it's surprising that she hasn't thrown more events like the hilariously wealthy Kathy Hilton.
Sutton Is A Professionally Trained Dancer
Some may be surprised to know that Sutton is a professionally trained dancer. When she was younger, she moved from Augusta, Georgia, to New York City, where she trained professionally in ballet.
According to Pulse, when she moved on from dancing, she became the Cunningham Dance Foundation's Director of Development and a member of the Board of Trustees for the American Ballet Theater, MOCA, and P.S. Arts. It would be amazing for RHOBH fans to see this side of her instead of just her friendships in the series.
Sutton Is Friends With Dolce & Gabbana
When Sutton was first introduced, one of her first scenes was with Lisa Rinna in Domenico Dolce's lavish apartment, trying on couture. All the while, Rinna tried on a jewel-encrusted crown while waiting for her. As time went on, it was noted that Suton has a close relationship with many high-end designers.
CheatSheet mentioned that Sutton met Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana while at a fashion show. The three became close after they discussed their love of dance. In fact, they are so close that the famed designers send Sutton a tiara every year for their birthday. "The great thing about tiaras is if you’re having a bad hair day or you’re feeling sad, it totally fixes everything right here. Just put a tiara on and you’re good to go," she told Bravo TV.
Sutton Owns A Boutique Called The Sutton Concept
Although Sutton made a lot of money in her divorce, she continues to make a living off of her own boutique in West Hollywood. Vuewers saw the opening of the boutique in season 10, but there's way more to her store than just clothes.
Called The Sutton Concept, Sutton's boutique also has decor and art. It's a collection of things that compliment Sutton's personal style, but it comes at a price. Sutton has pieces by artists Alexander Kroll and Michael John Kelly. The decor is also specifically designed by famed interior designers and Sutton herself. The Sutton Concept opened in 2019, but within a few years, it could add Sutton to the list of successful Reak Housewives cast entrepreneurs.
How Much Is Sutton Stracke Worth?
Sutton Stracke isn't the richest cast member in the Real Housewives franchise, but she's definitely one of the wealthiest based on her net worth and the couture collection she has at home. Lisa Rinna said it best when she said, "She’s rich, honey! She’s-a-rich!”
CheatSheet noted that Stracke's net worth is around $2 million, but it could be more based on the one-of-a-kind couture pieces she owns. Due to her eclectic style and love for art and fashion, Sutton has more tied up than people realize.
Sutton Was Supposed To Be A Real Housewives Cast Member Earlier
It's assumed that Bravo adds potential Real Housewives cast as friends of the series before giving them the official title because the network wants to see how fans gravitate to a new member of the group. In Sutton's case, she was a friend of Lisa Rinna's who was completely different from the other women due to her soft-spoken nature.
Sutton told Reality Life With Kate Casey that she was originally signed on as a Housewife but was demoted to friend after her ex-husband wouldn't allow Sutton to film with their kids. With Sutton's home life being a large part of her image, Bravo made her a friend in the Real Housewives franchise.
Sutton's Best Friend Is Actress Jennifer Tilly
Jennifer Tilly is an actress known for her roles in Chucky, Family Guy, Monster's Inc, and more. She's also Sutton Stracke's best friend.
In 2020, Page Six noted that Stracke and Tilly have been best friends for over a decade. They're also neighbors. Tilly told Andy Cohen that she never wants to be a Housewife, but she loves watching Sutton on the show. The two have shown off their friendship on both of their social media accounts as well.
Sutton Has Three Children
Sutton is the mother of three kids, Porter, Philip, and James. Viewers saw Porter briefly in one episode but other than that, her kids are rarely shown. Distractify mentioned that Sutton's ex didn't want their kids on camera. "My ex-husband just was adamant that they could not film with me, and I totally get it," she said. Sutton also said, "I try to preserve my kids being kids." At a time when she's a part of Erika Jayne's important episodes and legal troubles, it's best to keep the kids separate.