‘Open’ divorce of Kim Kardashian’s parents helped reality star cope with split from Kanye West

Kim Kardashian has revealed how the divorce of her parents when she was a child caught her by surprise – and how them “being open” about the subject helped her deal with her own split from Kanye West.

In an interview with GQ for its 28th annual Men Of The Year issue, the 43-year-old reality star said she didn’t have an “inkling” about her parents – Robert and Kris – until a family meeting was called.

She was aged nine when she was given the news, recalling: “I didn’t foresee any of it. I was in the bath and they called a family meeting.

“I remember thinking, ‘Please, Lord, don’t let them be getting a divorce’.

“I never had an inkling that it would happen, but I knew that was what they were going to tell us. I felt it.”

Kim’s marriage to the 46-year-old rapper, now known as Ye and with whom she has four children, started to come to an end in 2021 – and she said during this period, it was important to ensure the “kids feel loved”.

“I did think about how my parents handled it with us,” she said. “I just remember them being open.

“Ultimately, what matters is that kids feel loved and heard. You want to be sensitive because they’re just kids and it’s hard to go through, no matter what age.

“You have to make sure that you only go to a level that they can understand.

“It’s OK to show a vulnerable side. You never go to a negative side.”

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Her father – a prominent defence lawyer – died 20 years ago from cancer, but Kim recalled a conversation she had in her final days with him.

“It’s almost like I can see ahead. I know you’re going to be OK, but just take care of your siblings for me,” her father told her.

“I took what he said to mean that I was going to be OK in life,” Kim said. “But it made me make decisions differently.”

She also talked about how she is continuing to work towards taking her bar exam in 2024 or 2025 and become a lawyer – and how she follows her Christian faith.

“I’m probably more religious than most people guess,” she said.

“I look at everything as lessons. Even if it doesn’t make sense at the time, it’s leading you to a path.”