Jan Ashley is best known as the second wife of attorney and businessman Robert Kardashian, father of Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, and Rob Kardashian. The two married in 1998, after Robert’s divorce from Kris Jenner, and the marriage was annulled in 1999. Years later, she drew headlines for comments about the Kardashian family that Kris Jenner and Khloé firmly rejected.
Most people know Robert Kardashian from two places: the O.J. Simpson trial and his famous children. His marriage to Kris Jenner and his final marriage to Ellen Pierson both get mentioned often. The marriage in between is the one people forget.
That marriage was to Jan Ashley. This article covers what is confirmed about her, how short the marriage was, why it ended according to her, and the 2012 interview that made her name briefly famous.
Quick Facts: Jan Ashley
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Jan Ashley |
| Known as | Robert Kardashian Sr.’s second wife |
| Marriage | 1998 |
| Ended | Annulled in 1999 |
| Children with Robert | None |
| Stepchildren during marriage | Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, and Rob Kardashian |
| Birth date | Not confirmed by trusted sources |
| Hometown | Not confirmed by trusted sources |
| Earlier marriage | Reported but not confirmed by trusted sources |
| Later life | Not confirmed by trusted sources |
Who Is Jan Ashley?
Jan Ashley was married to Robert Kardashian for a short time in the late 1990s. Robert’s Wikipedia page says they married in 1998 and that the marriage ended in annulment in 1999.
An annulment is different from a divorce. Legally, it treats a marriage as if it was never valid. It’s often used when a marriage is very short.
Jan was never part of the Kardashians’ reality TV world. Keeping Up with the Kardashians didn’t premiere until 2007, years after her marriage ended. Her public profile comes almost entirely from a few later interviews.
The Man Jan Ashley Married
Robert George Kardashian was born on February 22, 1944, in Los Angeles. His parents were Armenian Americans.
He graduated from the University of Southern California in 1966 with a business degree. He then earned a law degree from the University of San Diego and practiced law for about ten years.
He was also an entrepreneur. He co-founded the music trade magazine Radio & Records in 1973. He also started Movie Tunes, a company built on his idea of playing music in movie theaters between films.
Robert Kardashian’s First Marriage
Before Jan, Robert was married to Kris Houghton, now Kris Jenner. They married on July 8, 1978. Together they had four children: Kourtney (1979), Kim (1980), Khloé (1984), and Rob (1987).
Robert filed for divorce in 1990, and it was finalized in March 1991. Kris soon married Olympic champion Bruce Jenner, now known as Caitlyn Jenner.
Robert and Kris stayed on friendly terms until his death, according to Wikipedia. That ongoing bond would matter in Jan’s story.
The O.J. Simpson Years
Robert became famous nationwide in the mid-1990s. He was a close friend of O.J. Simpson and served on his defense team in the 1995 murder trial.
The trial was one of the most-watched legal events in American history. It made Robert a household name, years before his children did.
By the time he married Jan Ashley in 1998, the trial was over, but the public attention had not fully faded.
Jan Ashley’s Marriage to Robert Kardashian
Jan and Robert married in 1998. Exact wedding details, including the date and location, have not been confirmed by trusted outlets. Some profiles mention a winter wedding in Colorado, but those claims lack reliable sources.
Fox News described Jan as Robert’s second wife, married after his divorce from Kris was final.
The marriage was very short. It ended in annulment in 1999, Wikipedia says.
Why Jan Ashley Says the Marriage Ended
Neither Jan nor Robert explained the split at the time. Years later, Jan gave her side.
Wikipedia reports that Jan later said ongoing upset and turmoil involving Kris and the children “were instrumental” in ending the relationship. In a 2016 article, Romper, citing Radar Online, quoted Jan saying Robert “was upset all the time.”
That is Jan’s account. Robert died in 2003 and never gave his own public version of why the marriage ended.
Jan Ashley’s 2012 Interview
In January 2012, Jan made her biggest headlines. In an interview with Star magazine, reported by Fox News and ABC News, she claimed Robert had told her something private about the family after they married.
Her claim concerned Khloé’s paternity. The Kardashian family rejected it right away and in strong terms.
It is important to be clear here. This was Jan’s claim about something she said she heard. It was never backed by evidence, and the family has always denied it.
How the Kardashians Responded
The family responded quickly. On Good Morning America, Kris Jenner called the rumors “crap,” according to ABC News. She said she was there and gave birth, and she knew who the father was.
Khloé responded on Twitter, ABC reported. She wrote: “The audacity you have to mention my father’s name like this!”
Khloé has spoken often about her love for Robert. She was 19 when he died, and she has honored him publicly many times since.
Robert Kardashian’s Third Marriage
After Jan, Robert married Ellen Pierson in 2003. Wikipedia notes that they married just six weeks before his death.
Ellen also spoke to the press around the same time as Jan, in early 2012, making her own claims about the family. The Kardashians rejected those as well.
That means two of Robert’s later wives became part of the same tabloid storm, almost a decade after his death.
Robert Kardashian’s Death
In July 2003, Robert was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. He died on September 30, 2003, at his home in Encino, Los Angeles. He was 59.
He did not live to see his children become global stars. Keeping Up with the Kardashians began four years later, in 2007.
In 2016, FX’s The People v. O.J. Simpson brought new attention to him. David Schwimmer played Robert, and many viewers began searching for more about his life, including his marriages.
Clearing Up the Confusion About Jan Ashley
Many websites repeat details about Jan that no trusted outlet has confirmed. Here is what to watch for.
Her earlier life. Some sites list a birth date, a Texas birthplace, a beauty title in Oklahoma, and a maiden name. None of this comes from a trusted news outlet.
An earlier marriage. Several profiles say she was the widow of actor and producer John Ashley, known for 1960s beach movies and The A-Team. John Ashley’s Wikipedia page mentions a third wife but doesn’t name her. The link is plausible but not confirmed.
Her death. Some sites say she died in 2015. No trusted outlet has reported this.
How long the marriage lasted. Some sites say it lasted about a month. Wikipedia confirms only that it began in 1998 and was annulled in 1999.
The 2012 claim. Some sites present Jan’s claim as fact. It was not. It was one person’s account, firmly denied by the family.
Why So Little Is Known About Jan Ashley
Jan was married to Robert before his children were reality TV stars. She never appeared on the show, and she gave only a handful of interviews.
Most of her public story comes from those interviews, which were controversial. Beyond them, her life stayed private.
That gap has left room for websites to fill in details without proof. That’s why the confirmed record is so much shorter than many online profiles suggest.
Jan Ashley’s Place in Kardashian History Today
Today, the Kardashians are one of the most famous families in the world. The Kardashians on Hulu continues the story that began on E! in 2007.
Jan Ashley remains a footnote in that story: a short marriage between two well-known ones. Her 2012 interview briefly put her in the spotlight, but the family’s responses defined how most people remember it.
For fans of Robert Kardashian’s life, her name is mainly a reminder of the years between his divorce from Kris and his final months.
Final Thoughts
Stepping into a large, close family as a new spouse is never simple. There are old loyalties, shared histories, and children who are still sorting out their feelings about a divorce. Even with the best intentions, a new marriage can buckle under that weight.
Jan Ashley’s brief marriage seems to have run into exactly that. Her later words were sharp, and the family’s response was sharper. Years after Robert’s death, the people who loved him were still defending his memory.
Perhaps the real lesson here is about how we tell stories when someone can no longer speak for themselves. When the person at the center is gone, every account becomes a version. The kindest thing we can do as readers is to remember that, and to hold claims lightly until they’re proven.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who was Jan Ashley?
Jan Ashley was Robert Kardashian Sr.’s second wife. They married in 1998, after his divorce from Kris Jenner.
How long was Jan Ashley married to Robert Kardashian?
Not long. They married in 1998, and the marriage was annulled in 1999.
Why did Jan Ashley and Robert Kardashian split?
Jan later said that ongoing turmoil involving Kris Jenner and the children played a key role. Robert never publicly explained the split.
What did Jan Ashley claim in 2012?
In a Star magazine interview, she made a claim about Khloé’s paternity. Kris Jenner and Khloé firmly rejected it, and it was never supported by evidence.
Did Jan Ashley and Robert Kardashian have children?
No. They had no children together. Robert’s children were all from his marriage to Kris Jenner.
You may also read: Meet Damian Gabrielle, the Ex-Husband Behind Olga Kurylenko’s Pre-Bond Years
Want more honest stories about the people behind famous names? Keep following Trendify Magazines for well researched profiles you won’t find anywhere else.
