Brenda Harvey-Richie is Lionel Richie’s first wife and the adoptive mother of Nicole Richie. They married in 1975, raised Nicole together, and divorced in 1993.
Who is Brenda Harvey-Richie?
Brenda Harvey-Richie was married to singer Lionel Richie for 18 years, from 1975 until their divorce in 1993. She is also Nicole Richie’s adoptive mother. Biography.com describes Brenda and Lionel as taking Nicole in and later legally adopting her when she was nine; Brenda is not Nicole’s biological mother.
Profiles describe Brenda as an entrepreneur and music composer, and mention a music-publishing business. Those descriptions do not establish her current occupation or circumstances, so they should not be treated as a definitive account of what she does today.
Brenda and Lionel Richie’s marriage and family
Marriage and raising Nicole
Biography.com dates the marriage to 1975; Parade gives the wedding date as October 18, 1975. In the 1980s, Brenda and Lionel took Nicole into their home and later adopted her. Lionel described the adoption in a 2022 interview with ABC News as taking in “a little girl who needed a shot.”
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Separation, the 1988 incident and divorce
The Guardian reported that Brenda and Lionel were separated by the time of a June 1988 incident at the home of Diane Alexander, who later became Lionel’s second wife. Parade also recounts the confrontation. Accounts differ on the relationship chronology, so the incident should be understood as attributed reporting rather than a definitive account of when the marriage ended. Brenda and Lionel’s divorce was finalized in 1993.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How Brenda’s family story differs from Lionel’s second marriage
Lionel later married Diane Alexander. They had two children, Miles and Sofia, and ABC News reports that their marriage ended in 2004. Brenda’s connection to Nicole is through adoption; Miles and Sofia are Lionel’s children with Diane.
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