Summary

• Sonja Morgan's divorce from John Adams Morgan was relatively drama-free, but there are rumors of infidelity.
• Sonja was originally asked to be part of the first season of RHONY but declined due to personal circumstances.
• Sonja has had a diverse career, including being an off-Broadway actress, fashion critic, and event planner.

Sonja Morgan appeared on The Real Housewives of New York beginning in season 3 and has been gracing fans’ TVs ever since. The Bravo cast member is well-known in the New York social circuit and has had some of the funniest moments on RHONY. Sonja made impulsive decisions, making RHONY one of the best reality TV shows. Although Sonja has been on Bravo screens for years, there are still unknown or underrated things about "Sonjarita" that aren't discussed enough.

At BravoCon ’22, it was announced that Sonja Morgan would no longer be on RHONY’s 14th season, but she would be on a Bravo spinoff with cast member Luann de Lesseps called Luann & Sonja: Welcome to Crappie Lake. Luckily, there's more Sonja by Sonja Morgan, toaster ovens, and iconic quotes on the screen from this fan-favorite. Even though she won't be seen on upcoming RHONY season 15, there are still so many things for fans to know about Miss Morgan.

1 Why Sonja & John Adams Morgan Divorced

One of the biggest questions fans had upon meeting Sonja's wealth was, who was Sonja Morgan married to? Sonja's recollection of her divorce was different from her castmates on RHONY. Sonja said, "My breakup was pretty boring. We were in love, and then we broke up. There was no drama," according to Nicki Swift.

However, it's been alluded to on the show that Sonja wasn't loyal to John Adams Morgan (related to the Morgan Stanley family) and cheated on him, leading to their divorce. Some fans thought Luann went too far by stating that Sonja was with various men in the South of France before her then-husband found out. These days, however, Sonja claims her innocence.

2 Sonja Was Supposed To Be Part Of RHONY Season 1

While The Real Housewives of New York created excitement about a new 2023 cast, Sonja was greatly missed. Sonja was on RHONY for 12 seasons but could have been on for 14. According to Reality Blurb, RHONY was originally called Manhattan Moms, and Sonja was asked to be a part of the first season. She said, “When they first asked me to come on season 1, when it was just Jill [Zarin] and I for Manhattan Moms, I said no — I don’t know what I’m going to do with a 5-year-old child, I was going through a divorce.” After the first two seasons succeeded, Sonja joined season 3 because she was at a better place in life, which was great for her brand.

3 The Truth Behind Sonja's Unsellable Brownstone

Sonja Morgan has lived in a gorgeous townhouse on the Upper East Side since her marriage and divorce from John Adams Morgan. Over the years, however, Sonja has been very honest about not being able to afford the upkeep and wanting to sell it. As it turned out, this was not a generic storyline on RHONY. Cheat Sheet noted that the townhouse has been on and off the market for the past decade. She has listed the home anywhere from $7-12 million.

4 Sonja Was In An Off-Broadway Play

In 2016, Sonja Morgan was in an off-Broadway play called Sex Tips for Straight Women by a Gay Man. Created by Matt Murphy, the play was a three-person comedy act based on the book of the same title written by Dan Anderson and Maggie Berman, according to Playbill. The show was a massive success for off-Broadway and ran for four and a half years before closing the curtain. Sonja has always been a performer, but it's fantastic to find out how many avenues of entertainment she's been a part of over the years. Now that Sonja's time on RHONY is done, there is support for Sonja's future endeavors in show business.

5 Sonja Is A Fashion Critic

Sonja Morgan didn't just have some of the best quotes throughout The Real Housewives of New York; she was also a model, a fashion student, and a fashion designer in her past. On top of that, she was also a critic. Additionally, she was a weekly fashion critic for Star Magazine. Considering her love and knowledge of fashion, being a critic sounds right up Sonja's alley. In many ways, Sonja is like the modern-day Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City.

6 Sonja Did 'Marry The Bank'

John Adams Morgan is a man in high places. He is the son of Henry Morgan—who founded Morgan Stanley—and the grandson of J.P. Morgan, the founder of J.P. Morgan & Co. In short, John Adams Morgan has a long family history with the bank, but he's not one of those men who lived off his family without accomplishing much. To support his family, he created Morgan Joseph & Co., an investment and commercial banking firm.

According to People, John met Sonja when she worked as a hostess at San Pietro in New York City. The pair quickly became engaged and married for seven years before divorcing. Because of their high-profile relationship, fans are curious to see Sonja Morgan’s wedding pictures, but there haven't been too many public pictures since they married in 1998.

7 Sonja's Ex Was Related To A Former President

In October 2000, Sonja and John had a daughter named Quincy Adams Morgan. The name Quincy Adams Morgan happened to be a family name, as John is a direct descendent of two U.S. presidents: the second U.S. President, John Adams, and the sixth U.S. President, John Quincy Adams.

While there are some horrible husbands on The Real Housewives over the years, the pair were already divorced by the time filming started to know what kind of relationship they had. John Adams Morgan has been married four times (Sonja was his third wife) and has had three children named after his famous family. His first child is his namesake, John Adams Morgan Jr. His second wife gave him a son named Chauncey Goss Morgan (named after councilman and grandfather Chauncey Porter Goss), and Sonja gave him his only daughter, Quincy (named after President John Quincy Adams).

8 Sonja Had Some Famous Ex-Boyfriends

Sonja was divorced from John Adams Morgan in 2006, but she has had her fair share of dates before and after her marriage. While talking to The Daily Dish, she admitted to rumors swirling around her love life. She briefly dated Prince Albert of Monaco, went on a few dates on both coasts with actor Owen Wilson, and even a date with a former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills husband, Paul Nassif. And just like most real housewives, she also dated Harry Dubin. While many say Ramona Singer is the ultimate dater, Sonja Morgan is the real star.

9 Sonja Attended F.I.T.

Before Sonja married, had her daughter, and became a reality television icon, Bravo said she got a marketing degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Growing up and living in New York City for as long as Sonja has, the woman has made herself a New York icon and met a lot of big names in the fashion world. Sonja is far more intelligent than she's given credit for.

10 Did Sonja Hook up With A Southern Charm Star?

In July 2019, many Bravolebrities joined the New York Pride Parade. Sonja Morgan was seen dancing on a float alongside Southern Charm star Patricia Altschul. The two were dressed beautifully, showing their support for the community. But after a picture of the two went on Instagram, someone rudely commented about Patricia's son—and Southern Charm star—Whitney Sudler-Smith. Instead of retaliating on Instagram, Patricia made Bravo fans go wild by insinuating that her son wasn't gay and that Sonja Morgan would know best. According to People, Altschul wrote, “He’s not gay…ask Sonja." The rumored romance was enough to get Bravo fans buzzing.

11 Sonja Was Arrested For A D.U.I.

It was a dark day when Sonja Morgan was given a DUI after a weekend in the Hamptons. According to NY Daily News, she was pulled over after rolling through a stop sign when the police officer realized she was intoxicated. She failed the sobriety tests outside the vehicle, and after refusing to take a breathalyzer test, she was arrested. Sonja isn't the only Housewife who has been arrested, of course. Some of the more controversial Bravolebrities have been arrested for similar acts. Sonja learned a lesson from this weekend and has been out of trouble with the law since.

12 Is Sonja Morgan Done With Toaster Ovens?

It was a long-running joke on the Bravo series that Sonja was creating a line of toaster ovens that would never hit shelves. She would rant and rave about these so-called toaster ovens, yet there was no prototype, and they were nowhere to be seen. Fortunately, Sonja said she was creating a toaster oven cookbook filled with easy recipes for toaster oven lovers, but that book never hit shelves. According to Refinery 29, she has given recipes on social media, including "Cinnamon Sugar Rolls," "Toaster Oven Potato Chips," and even mac n' cheese. Her love of toaster ovens even got her on the Food Network show Worst Cooks in America.

13 Sonja Had An Event Planning Business

Sonja regularly talked about her accomplishments and all the fantastic things she's done over the years, but there's not much evidence to back what she's talking about. However, thanks to her former website, she appeared to have an event company called Sonja in the City. Her team created parties of a lifetime, regardless of age or theme. Some of their work included Cat Ommanney's book launch, the American Friends of Blérancourt Launch Dinner Party, and more. However, it doesn't look like Sonja in the City is still running.

14 Sonja Won Awards For Her Charity Work

According to her Bravo description, she won an award as a Singular Sensation for Single Women in 1990 for her charitable work. In 2013, she won a New York State Senate award for her businesses in New York City. Sonja has also been interviewed by countless publications about her helping hand. Regardless of the fights Sonja has started or the embarrassing behavior she portrayed on The Real Housewives of New York, Sonja knows how to give back and do more for society.

15 Sonja Once Filed For Bankruptcy

According to US Magazine, Sonja Morgan filed for bankruptcy in 2010 after listing "$19.8 million in debt." After making her own money and divorcing a wealthy man, fans wondered how Sonja could be so low on funds.

The site noted that Sonja had to file for bankruptcy because of a bad business deal that left her millions in debt. It took her five years, but Sonja settled the case and can finally move on. She said, "I paid what I had to pay, and it wasn’t easy, but at the same time, it was an experience." She continued, “It’s nice to be free of everyone looking at my money. I finally have my financial privacy back." Sonja might not be the wealthiest RHONY cast member, but she's doing just fine.

Source: US Magazine, Sonja in the City, Refinery 29, NY Daily News, People, Bravo, People, Playbill, Reality Blurb, Nicki Swift

• 

  The Real Housewives of New York City

  Cast:

  Bethenny Frankel

  Release Date:

  2008-03-04

  Seasons:

  14

  Genres:

  Reality TV

  Summary:

  The second iteration in the Real Housewives reality television franchise, The Real Housewives of New York City chronicles the drama and daily lives of women in the Big Apple. With over a dozen seasons, the show has launched the careers of entrepreneurs and television personalities such as Bethenny Frankel and Luann de Lesseps.

  Streaming Service(s):

  Peacock

  Franchise(s):

  The Real Housewives

  Directors:

  Andy Cohen

  Showrunner:

  Andy Cohen