How Derick Dillard's Anniversary Tribute To Jill Subtly Shaded His In-Laws
Some might argue there's a good chance Derick Dillard is Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar's least favorite son-in-law. At times it seems like Jill Duggar's husband has made a hobby out of needling his in-laws, but perhaps Derick has some valid concerns, especially about Jim Bob.
In 2020, for instance, Derick alleged to The Sun that he and Jill were not paid for their work on "Counting On," and claimed he was "strongly discouraged" from talking to other family members about the issue. Derick also The Sun his father-in-law Jim Bob was the "only one with a contract" with TLC. The interview came as no surprise, as Derick and his in-laws have reportedly been at odds since the Dillards left the TLC reality series in 2017.
After Josh Duggar's arrest in September, other members of the Duggar family seem to be standing up to Jim Bob and Michelle. But Jill's husband has always been the most vocal in calling out the Duggars. Even Derick's anniversary tribute to Jill on November 22 seemingly shaded his in-laws.
Derick and Jill enjoyed an unsupervised motorcycle ride
Derick Dillard's message to Jill Duggar celebrated their dating anniversary and the start of their romance, which took place in Nepal, where Derick was a missionary at the time. Derick posted throwback photos of Jill's visit with the caption, "8 years ago today I started dating my best friend @jillmdillard while I was working on the other side of the world! I definitely enjoyed our unchaperoned motorcycle ride around the area." Jill commented on Derick's Instagram post, "Aww! You're the best man in the whole world!"
But Derick's post seemed to throw shade at his in-laws Jim Bob and Michelle on several levels. The Duggars have taken pride in the strict courtship guidelines they set for their kids, with a big one being all dates must be chaperoned. So Derick's post revealed that the rebel couple broke Jim Bob and Michelle's so-called rules since their first date. Or you could see it as Derick suggesting Jim Bob, who traveled to Nepal with Jill, played up his strictness for the cameras. In the episode featuring the trip, the Duggar patriarch put on a big show of monitoring their dates, even going as far as to get in between the couple when Derick placed his hand on Jill's back. Did Jim Bob act differently when the cameras turned off?
Either way, this appears to be another sign Derick and Jill will continue to do their own thing. From Jill talking about her sex life to Derick making an eyebrow-raising crack about why the Duggar kids marry so young, the Dillards do not hold back!