History is usually written by the winners, but in the case of the Jenner family, it was written in a memoir that nearly burned the whole house down. For twenty-two years, Caitlyn Jenner and Kris Jenner were the blueprint. They were the ultimate "momager" and "motivational speaker" duo, building an empire from a gold medal tucked away in a sock drawer. Then, the world watched it all crumble.
Honestly, it wasn’t just a divorce. It was a cultural earthquake.
People think they know the story because they saw it on Keeping Up with the Kardashians. But reality TV is a curated version of the truth. If you want to understand the current state of Caitlyn Jenner and Kris Jenner, you have to look past the E! cameras and the Hulu filters. It's a tale of two people who built a billion-dollar legacy together and then spent a decade barely speaking.
Until now.
The 2025 Reset: A Farewell Dinner Nobody Saw Coming
In late 2025, something shifted. For years, Caitlyn was the persona non grata of the Kardashian-Jenner inner circle. She had moved to her Malibu hilltop, focused on her own life, and admitted in interviews as recently as 2023 that she and Kris "never" talked anymore. It was sad. It was cold.
Then came the "El Dorado Meadow" dinner.
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Kris Jenner was moving out of the family's iconic Hidden Hills estate. This wasn't just any house; it was the place where the original series took flight. In a move that shocked her kids—and frankly, the fans—Kris picked up the phone. She called Caitlyn. She invited her to a farewell dinner.
"Your Dad and I bought this house many years ago, and I think one person isn't here that should be here to say goodbye with us," Kris told the family during the Season 7 premiere of The Kardashians.
When Caitlyn walked in, the tension was thick enough to cut with a steak knife. But they did it. They sat down. They talked about the L.A. wildfires and Fox News. It wasn't a "best friends" reunion, but it was a truce. As Kylie Jenner noted, it was a "great first step." For the first time in years, the focus wasn't on the betrayal, but on the two daughters they share, Kendall and Kylie.
Why things went south (and stayed there)
To understand why a dinner invite was such a big deal, you have to remember the 2017 fallout. It wasn't the transition itself that broke the family—though that was a massive adjustment for everyone involved. It was the book.
When Caitlyn released her memoir, The Secrets of My Life, she didn't hold back. She claimed Kris knew more about her gender identity struggles in the '90s than she let on. She suggested the Kardashian side of the family was "slighted" in the book on purpose to avoid the "publicity stunt" label.
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Kris was livid. She felt her entire 20-year history was being rewritten. On camera, she famously said she felt "robbed" of her own memories. The daughters took sides, or at least found themselves in the middle of a war they didn't start. For a long time, the relationship between Caitlyn Jenner and Kris Jenner was defined by silence and legal-speak.
The "Momager" Magic: How They Built the Brand
Before the drama, there was the business. People forget that Kris Jenner actually "re-discovered" the Bruce Jenner brand. When they met in 1990, Caitlyn’s career was stalling. No one was booking the 1976 Olympic decathlon champion for speeches.
Kris changed that. Basically, she took the gold medal, dusted it off, and created a corporate speaking powerhouse. She was the one who saw the potential for exercise videos and endorsement deals. Without the business foundation they built together in the '90s, the Kardashian empire might never have had the launchpad it needed in 2007.
They were a team. Kris handled the contracts; Caitlyn handled the stage. It was a partnership of necessity and, for a long time, genuine affection.
Where They Stand Today in 2026
If you’re looking for a fairy-tale ending where they go on double dates, you're going to be disappointed. That’s just not how it works in the real world—especially not in this family.
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As of early 2026, the vibe is "cordial but distant." Caitlyn is still very much a part of her daughters' lives. She recently shared that she’s "over the moon" about Kylie’s relationship with Timothée Chalamet, even hosting them at her Malibu home. She’s present for the big moments, but she isn't on the guest list for Kris's intimate Friday night dinners.
Kris, for her part, has matured into a space of "growth," as Khloé put it. She recognizes that Caitlyn is the father of two of her children. That matters more than a 2017 book feud. They are "settled down," and the sharp edges of the divorce have finally started to blunt.
Real Insights for Navigating Family Feuds
Watching the saga of Caitlyn Jenner and Kris Jenner offers some surprisingly practical takeaways for anyone dealing with a messy family split.
- Closure is a myth, but peace isn't. You don't need a grand apology to sit at the same table. Sometimes, "how about those wildfires?" is enough of a conversation to keep the peace for the kids.
- The "Kids First" rule actually works. Both Kris and Caitlyn have admitted that their recent civil behavior is 100% for Kendall and Kylie. When the ego is removed, the path to a truce becomes much clearer.
- Boundaries are healthy. Being "cordial" doesn't mean you have to be best friends. It’s okay to only see an ex at "family things" and keep your personal life separate.
- Time heals, but it takes a lot of it. It took a decade for them to have a meal together without it ending in a tabloid firestorm. If you're in the middle of a family rift, realize that "year one" or "year five" might still be too soon.
The Jenner-Kardashian story isn't over, but the "war" phase seems to have finally entered a permanent ceasefire. They’ve moved from being a powerhouse couple to being distant co-parents who can occasionally share a hug in a house full of memories. In the world of Hollywood divorces, that’s about as close to a win as you can get.
To stay updated on the latest shifts in the Kardashian-Jenner family tree, keep an eye on official social media updates from Kendall and Kylie, as they remain the primary bridge between these two very different worlds. You can also track upcoming episodes of The Kardashians on Hulu for any future reunions that might occur during major family milestones.