Kristin Cavallari and Mark Estes have called it quits, and the former “Laguna Beach” star is explaining why.
In an episode of her podcast “Let’s Be Honest with Kristin Cavallari” entitled “The Break Up,” Cavallari called Estes, a content creator, the “best boyfriend” she’d ever had — but confirmed she initiated a breakup.
“It’s hard because I broke up with Mark because I just know, long term, it’s not right,” she said.
The breakup was “not because of love lost or something bad happened, no one cheated, no one was mean.” She only praised Estes, saying, “Mark didn’t do anything. Mark has been nothing but so sweet and so supportive and he’s always been there.”
Instead, she said their age gap contributed to the breakup. Cavallari is 37 and Estes is 24. During their seven months together, Cavallari addressed their 13-year age difference in interviews and in unbothered clapback TikTok videos.
“I just know, long term, he needs to experience life. He’s young and I started to feel the age a little bit just with life experience,” Cavallari said.
Based on her own life experiences, Cavallari said she thinks Estes should take his mid-20s for himself.
“Those are crucial years, those are formative years. This is when you find yourself. He needs to be able to do that,” she said.
She noted, however, that his age is something she has been “well aware” of.
“It wasn’t like I was ignoring the fact that he was younger and really just got out of college. I was very aware of the situation,” she said.
The TV personality and podcaster told her audience that their breakup “isn’t a bad thing,” calling her time with Estes “beautiful” and the “best relationship of my life.”
“He will make someone so happy one day,” Cavallari said, tearfully, of Estes. “I know one day he will look back and he will understand it. And I actually think one day he will thank me. And that’s just the hindsight you don’t have at age 24. At age 24, it’s so hard to think about the future.”
Cavallari said on the podcast that she doesn’t regret going public with him, nor introducing him to her children. She shares sons Camden, 12, Jaxon, 10, and daughter Saylor, 8, with ex Jay Cutler.
Looking ahead, Cavallari said she’s “optimistic” she and Estes will remain friends — but that a post-breakup friendship can take time to develop.
“In order to be friends with someone after you split, I really think there needs to be some time between breaking up and coming together as friends,” she said. “I think it’s hard to be friends with there’s still emotion involved.”
She emphasized that she would still like to keep Estes in her life in “some capacity,” adding that she’s “really excited to see what he does in life.”
In a statement to TODAY.com, Estes’ team said he has “immense love and respect” for Cavallari.
“Mark has immense love and respect for Kristin and their time together. He’s focused on the future of his business and his project in development with Vice Studios,” the statement from Estes’ team.
“My life is really full and really busy and my life is kids and work and a little bit of friends, but not a lot,” Cavallari said.
When addressing whether she plans to move back into dating, Cavallari said it’s “not even on my radar right now.”
“I have no interest in getting back into the dating world right now. I also just don’t know how much time I have for dating,” she said, adding that she’s “really content having my life right now being about my kids and work.”
Cavallari explained that she had more time in her life when she began dating Estes last fall.
Now, she said she’s focused on moving into her new home, prioritizing friendships and her health journey.
