Austen Kroll is single. Again. Honestly, if you've followed the Southern Charm star over the last few years, that sentence probably doesn’t shock you. But the way his last relationship ended was actually different. It wasn’t just another "Mueller-time" blowout or a messy love triangle with Madison LeCroy.
For a while, it really looked like the Trop Hop founder had finally figured it out. He was using words like "intentionality." He was seeing a therapist. He even stopped "sliding into DMs" for a minute. The woman at the center of this transformation was Audrey Pratt. She wasn't a reality TV veteran or an influencer looking for a follower bump. She was just a girl from North Carolina who happened to be at the same restaurant as him one night.
The Audrey Pratt Era: How It All Started
They met in December 2023. Austen was back in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina. He was just out for dinner with friends. Audrey was there too.
The story is kinda classic Austen. He actually ran into one of Audrey’s friends near the bathroom. The friend told him he should go talk to Audrey. Austen being Austen, he almost didn't do it because he thought it was "awkward" once it was suggested. Eventually, he worked up the nerve. Their first real date was a baseball game in Charlotte.
By May 2024, things were serious enough for Instagram. He posted photos of them at a Carolina Hurricanes game. For a guy who usually spends his seasons dodging commitment questions, he seemed all in. He even had a bunch of ridiculous nicknames for her, mostly variations of "Pooks"—like "Pookapotamous." Yeah, it was a lot.
Who is Audrey Pratt?
Audrey wasn't part of the Charleston "incestuous" dating pool. She grew up in Cary, a suburb of Raleigh.
- Education: She graduated magna cum laude from East Carolina University in 2020.
- Career: She has a degree in business administration.
- Vibe: She was described by Austen’s best friend, Shep Rose, as "fantastic" and "very chill."
Why the Austen Kroll Girlfriend News Took a Turn
By the time Southern Charm Season 10 premiered in late 2024, Audrey was officially introduced to the Bravo world. This is usually where things go south for Austen's partners.
Reality TV is a relationship killer. Austen even admitted this. He told E! News that he sat Audrey down before filming started. He gave her an out. He told her, "I totally understand if you're like, this world is not for me." She decided to give it a shot because it was important to him.
She even met his parents. That’s a huge deal in the Kroll household. His parents, Tom and Wendy, aren't exactly easy to impress after years of watching their son’s romantic train wrecks. But they liked her. They even started joking about grandchildren during episode 6. It felt permanent.
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The Long Distance Struggle
There was one major hurdle: they didn't live in the same city. Austen is a Charleston staple. Audrey was living and working in Charlotte.
They tried the weekly commute. They did the "meet in the middle" thing. Austen told The Daily Dish in 2024 that they weren't rushing her move to Charleston. They wanted to wait until her lease was up, which would have been around the two-year mark. But as any long-distance couple knows, that "go-with-the-flow" attitude only works for so long before the cracks show.
The BravoCon 2025 Bombshell
Fast forward to November 15, 2025. Fans were heading to Las Vegas for BravoCon, expecting to see Audrey on Austen's arm. Instead, Austen confirmed to PEOPLE that he was single.
The split happened just shy of their two-year anniversary. He called the relationship a "casualty" of the show. That’s a heavy word. He basically hinted that the "outside noise" from friends and the pressure of filming Season 11 became too much. When your every move is dissected by castmates like Craig Conover or Shep Rose, "casualty" starts to make a lot of sense.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Split
People love to blame Austen’s "Peter Pan" syndrome. They think he just can't grow up. But if you listen to his podcast, Pillows & Beer, you get a different vibe.
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He seemed genuinely gutted this time. This wasn't a "we just grew apart" situation. It was a "this show ate my relationship" situation. He mentioned that the hardest part was the "unwanted opinions" that started to seep in. In the Bravo universe, if your friends don't like your partner—or if they like them too much—it creates a weird friction that’s hard to survive.
Is he dating anyone now?
Short answer: No.
Long answer: He’s trying to figure out if he even likes being single. In late 2025, there were rumors about him and a girl named Kiki in Miami. He shut those down pretty fast. He said they exchanged numbers, but nothing "materialized."
Right now, Austen seems to be in that "grass is greener" phase. Some days he loves the freedom. Other days he misses having someone to call. He’s 38 now. The clock is ticking in a way it wasn't when he was fighting with Madison in a hallway five years ago.
Moving Forward After the Breakup
If you’re wondering what’s next for Austen, it’s probably more of the same, but with a bit more therapy. He’s still working on that "intentionality" bit.
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If you are following the latest Southern Charm drama, keep an eye on his social media for the "soft launches" that usually happen between seasons. But for now, the "Austen Kroll girlfriend" spot is vacant.
Takeaways for Fans:
- Check the Timeline: Most of the drama from the split is expected to air in Southern Charm Season 11.
- Social Media Cues: Audrey has kept her Instagram private, which tells you she’s likely done with the spotlight for good.
- Watch the Podcast: If you want the unedited version of his dating life, Pillows & Beer is usually two weeks ahead of the tabloids.
The biggest lesson here? Even with a therapist and "intentionality," the Bravo cameras are a brutal third wheel. Austen might find the "one" eventually, but they’ll have to have some seriously thick skin to survive the Charleston heat.