Bethenny Frankel And Kyle Richards Have Been Friends Long Before Real Housewives

When Bravo launched the first season of "The Real Housewives of New York City" in 2008, Bethenny Frankel was brought on as one of the show's original cast members. In only a short time, Frankel had become a fan favorite, winning over viewers with her outspoken personality and her many, many witty remarks. Sadly in 2019, Frankel announced her second exit from the show. "I have decided to leave the 'Housewives' franchise to explore my next chapter," she said in a statement (via Variety). "My experience at Bravo has been an incredibly magical ride. I am so grateful to them for highlighting my entrepreneurialism and allowing me to pave the way for many women to achieve their goals." And though she has long moved on to other ventures, Frankel still has a close tie to the Bravo universe — in the person of her close friend Kyle Richards.

Frankel and Richards, an original cast member of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," have enjoyed a beautiful friendship through the years — something they never held back on sharing with the world. And even though Frankel is no longer a part of the Bravo franchise, the two women remain as thick as thieves. "Happy birthday @kylerichards18!!!," Frankel penned to Richards on her 54th birthday. "So many memories... it goes too quickly. Enjoy it! Happy Birthday! May it be filled with love, laughter and family."

However, despite fans knowing of these two via their "Real Housewives" series, their friendship goes way, way back.

Back in the '90s, when Bethenny Frankel worked at a Los Angeles restaurant, she met Kyle Richards for the first time. "She came up to my table and was like, "Hi. I'm dating your ex-boyfriend,"' Richards recounted of their first meeting during an episode of "RHOBH" (via the Daily Mail). "Basically she wanted to know if the expensive eye makeup remover in his bathroom was mine. Because she wanted to know what dumb idiot would spend that kind of money on eye makeup remover."

An awkward meeting no doubt, Frankel and Richards would go on to establish a beautiful relationship, one that has now lasted decades. "Kyle and I have always had the exact same friendship for years," Frankel once said of their bond, per Bravo. "When we first met, we were thick as thieves. Both not really working and just running around."

And despite their now busy schedules and lives, Frankel and Richards never miss out on an opportunity to meet up and catch up. For instance, the two women were spotted hanging out during a trip to Aspen in February 2023. "We can't spend days together, you know? It's become a real grown-up friendship where we catch up," Frankel explained. "I can tell her anything and vice versa. We've known each other a really long time, but we can totally trust each other. I would not hold back in telling her anything."

In 2021, Kyle Richards and Bethenny Frankel stirred up speculation of a falling out after unfollowing each other on Instagram. Explaining the situation on "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen," Richards said, "She unfollowed me and I was like, 'Why do I want to follow someone who doesn't follow me?' So, I just said, 'I don't need to keep up with her either, then,'" Richards explained. Despite unfollowing each other on social media, however, Frankel and Richards kept their friendship on lock in real life. "We still talk and text. We text each other," Richards clarified, adding that Frankel unfollowing her was no big deal because the "RHONY" star unfollowed other people as well.

Frankel and Richards have since resumed following each other on the social media platform, with Frankel giving a shout-out to the "RHOBH" star following their Aspen hangout. "Almost 30 years later, lost parents, marriages, a gaggle of girls, reality shows, health scares & a whole lot of life, we still have a lot to talk (and laugh) about," she captioned an adorable photo of herself and Richards. "Today was a good day... xoxo."

Housewives or not, Richards and Frankel's friendship is one that will clearly continue to stand the test of time.