“As time went on in their marriage, Kelly didn’t feel like she had a partner,” the source explains. “Kelly felt single in a lot of ways even while she and Brandon were still married.”
What followed was a messy legal battle that included disputes over finances, custody of their two children – daughter River, 10, and son Remington, 8 – and ownership of their $10.4 million Montana ranch.
The sprawling estate, which features rustic log cabins, lush pastures, and breathtaking mountain views, is the kind of place that screams relaxation, creativity, and some horseback riding.
The ranch was purchased during Kelly Clarkson and Blackstock’s marriage, making it a key asset in their high-profile divorce. While Clarkson envisioned the property as a retreat, Reba McEntire’s former stepson Blackstock saw it as his dream ranching headquarters – a clash that would spark a drawn-out legal battle.
Blackstock, who shifted his career focus from managing artists to becoming a full-time rancher, argued that relocating would disrupt his lifestyle and plans.
In 2021, a judge ruled that the ranch belonged to Kelly Clarkson, citing her prenuptial agreement.
“The Court further finds that the Montana Ranch and the other two Montana properties are not titled in both of the Parties’ names either as joint tenants with right of survivorship or as tenants by the entireties, as required under the PMA to create marital property,” People reports of the court documents. “The Court therefore rejects Respondent’s [Blackstock’s] position that the Montana Ranch and other Montana properties are marital property owned 50/50 by the Parties.”
The decision was a major win for the pop powerhouse, but there was one problem: Blackstock wasn’t leaving. Despite the court’s ruling, he stayed put, claiming he needed time to relocate his burgeoning ranching business.
