The Real Housewives of Potomac fame Ashley shares her reasons for not being present at her dad’s funeral

The Real Housewives of Potomac alum Ashley Darby recently revealed that her estranged father had died, and that she chose not to attend his funeral. 

On Sunday, October 12, 2025, Ashley posted a series of videos on her Instagram Stories, explaining why she skipped the funeral. 

“My rationale was, why would I want to take time away from my own kids for someone who never made time for me?” she said in one of her Stories.

Although she contemplated paying a visit for her own closure, she ultimately decided against it.

Over the nine seasons of The Real Housewives of Potomac, Ashley shared her story of being raised by her single mother, Sheila Matthews, as she did not know her father, who left her when she was only one. 

Although she tried to reach out to him during season 4 of the Bravo series, her efforts bore no fruit as he refused to meet with her. 

Because of their history and lack of a relationship, Ashley felt it was best not to go to his funeral. 

Instead, she felt it was important that she spent time with her own children and focus on strengthening her relationship with them. 

The Real Housewives of Potomac’s Ashley was hopeful that her father would try to make contact with her after being placed in hospice

Ashley was informed about her father’s passing by her mother while she was in New York the previous week. 

Speaking about her decision not to attend the event, Ashley confessed that she considered going to have her own “sense of closure,” but ultimately did not. 

“I’ve been traveling so much, and I really wanted to be with my own kids this weekend,” she said.

The Real Housewives of Potomac star then went on to justify her decision by highlighting that she was never a part of her father’s life and knew nothing about him. 

It was only after she read his obituary that she discovered things about him and his family. 

“I found out that I have siblings, all of the things I had no idea about my father, I learned about in his obituary. I learned he liked to garden, he taught himself how to play guitar, he was an avid fisherman, really, so many of the things that I also love to do,” she mentioned. 

Ashley continued that through his obituary, she found out that his “greatest accomplishment” was “being a dad to his two sons.”

The statement “stung” The Real Housewives of Potomac alum, but she chose not to fret about it. 

To her, it was a “unique form of grieving,” where she mourned someone she had no emotional connection with, only “blood relations.”

Ashley revealed that her father was recently placed in hospice for cancer care. She was hopeful that he would reach out to her before his death, but in vain. 

The Bravo star added that what she learned to “close the door” from this experience in her life. 

“A door that was never opened and will never be opened. I think I’ve always held out some sort of hope that maybe, like, when my dad is in hospice, prior to him passing, maybe he’d have a wave conscience to be like, ‘Let me at least make amends.’ It’s just so weird,” she expressed.

In her following statement, Ashley voiced her disappointment, as she wondered how any human being “doesn’t want to love their children or can’t love a child.”

Although a difficult experience, the Real Housewives of Potomac star was ready to move on with her life. 

Stay tuned for more updates.