#RHOP Season 9 Exclusive: Ashley Darby Sends Well Wishes To Candiace & Comments On The Katie Rost & Chris Samuels Photo Fallout

#RHOP is returning Sunday, and one of the wives is sending baby blessings to a former enemy, dishing on a fellow housewife’s DUI and commenting on a Potomac photo scandal.

Ashley Darby has been one of the cherry blossom beauties featured on the Bravo show since season one and she’s grateful to be back.

As she prepared for season 9, she told BOSSIP that she’s been reflecting on her incredible journey since joining the cast.

“Sometimes I have to go back and watch previous seasons because so much has happened over these last eight years,” said Ashley to Managing Editor Dani Canada while noting that she feels deep gratitude for the series that’s chronicled her major life like the birth of her children, Dean and Dylan Darby.

“It’s truly an honor,” she said with pride.

As previously reported this season is introducing fresh faces; Stacey Rusch and Jassi Rideaux, and while Ashley admitted that she missed her close friend, Robyn Dixon, she embraced the change. “I love her,” Ashley said of Robyn, “but I have to respect the process.

According to the pageant Queen, Robyn’s absence was deeply felt, especially during the season’s more intense moments.

“Robyn has this energy about her,” Ashley said. “You can always rely on her to be the voice of reason. Sometimes there were a lot of unreasonable moments that could have really relied on some Robyn Dixon. Itust would have been nice to have her clear perspective on things at times but you know she was only a text away.”

Ashley told BOSSIP that getting to know new cast members, like Stacy, brought a fresh dynamic to the group, even if it started a bit rocky between them.

” I’ve known Stacy for a while because she’s been in the DC area, but I didn’t know her in this way,” Ashley told BOSSP. “I didn’t know all her nitty gritty. You know, I got all into her business. She wasn’t quite used to that, she wasn’t really prepared for it. But eventually, we got we got there,” she added. “We got to a good place. It just starts out a little rocky.”

Speaking of getting into people’s business,  Ashely defended herself from accusations of being messy, something #RHOP watchers have long alleged.

Girl…Ashley still messy boots! #rhop

— Cassey Burrell (@SportsChic42) April 28, 2024

Sorry haters, but Ashley isn’t going anywhere. Every franchise needs a messy housewife, and she’s been doing it flawlessly since S1. If you want to watch straight glamour/opulence with no drama/shade hunty watch Dubai. #rhop

She’s messy, bone carrier and she reads! pic.twitter.com/lJaBEK7kv2

— Merce in the purse 👛 (@SlutFromDee90s) April 17, 2024

According to Ashley, she’s not messy, she’s a millennial oversharer who doesn’t dish out what she can’t take.

“I feel like we have a responsibility to our friendship group and to this process that we are going to be forthcoming. And some people may have a hard time getting in the groove. It may not be as natural to everybody to share all their business. I am a millennial, you know, I overshare, I admit that. So I’m just ushering them into the way of being free.”

Hit the flip for more Ashley including her thoughts on Karen’s DUI, Candiace’s pregnancy, and THAT scandalous photo of Katie Rost and Chris Samuels.

One of the biggest changes this season is the absence of Candiace Dillard Bassett. Her rocky past with Ashley is no secret, but as Candiace prepares to welcome her first child, Ashley is expressing genuine happiness for her.

“I’m so happy for her,” she told BOSSIP. “When I see the pictures of her with her baby bump, she’s beaming and glowing.”

Despite their differences, Ashley believes motherhood could bring a new perspective to Candace’s life, much like it did for her.

“I do think that if I’d had the opportunity to talk to her during her motherhood journey, our relationship would have taken on a very different look,” she admitted. Although they hadn’t mended things, Ashley still held love for Candiace, emphasizing that while they didn’t always agree, she valued who Candiace was as a person.

Ashley Darby Comments On Katie Rost’s Chris Samuels Photo

But while the emotional side of Ashley’s relationships was unfolding, a shocking moment from the Potomac circle sent fans and cast members alike into a frenzy—Katie Rost posting a photo with Monique Samuels’ ex-husband, Chris Samuels.

#RHOP Alum Katie Rost & Monique Samuels ex Husband Chris pose for a picture..#bravotv #messy pic.twitter.com/8nVSJbEKlR

— The Gworls Are Fighting (@baddietvv) August 29, 2024

As previously reported, the unexpected photo caused waves, not only among the fanbase but also behind the scenes. Ashley revealed that while it wasn’t blowing up their group chat, it definitely made rounds on social media.

“Fans were sending me stuff, and I was having a kiki with them,” she laughed. The moment had everyone buzzing, and when Ashley finally discussed it with her friend Giselle, the two shared a similar reaction. “What in the hell?” Giselle had said, to which Ashley simply responded, “Girl.”

While fans speculated about the intentions behind Katie’s post, Ashley remained puzzled.

“Katie is a very interesting individual,” she said slyly, noting that she wasn’t sure if Chris Samuels was a willing participant in the photo. “I don’t know if he got a little okey-doke,” she mused, “but it was definitely shocking to say the least.” The incident left many question marks hanging in the air, but as Ashley remarked, “Katie’s back in Potomac, so I don’t know.”

Ashley Darby Comments On Karen Huger’s DUI

Elsewhere in the interview, Ashley also shared her candid thoughts on Karen Huger’s DUI which will be heavily explored in opening episodes.

Ashely expressed that she immediately panicked when she heard the news about the member of her “nucleus.”

“Oh my gosh. It was like someone in my family,” said Ashley. “‘Cause that’s how I view Karen. Karen is in my nucleus. She’s one of my homegirls. I love her. So when that happened, literally my stomach, I had this gut feeling in my stomach, like everything just dropped. I called her immediately, I texted her. And unfortunately, you just play out the worst-case scenario in your mind.”

“So that was what I was thinking,” she added. “So then I had to call Gizelle because I’m like, well, Gizselle is a little closer to Karen, so maybe she knows something. And then when neither of us really knew anything, we just started like spiraling.”

She continued,

 “And Karen, for her own reason, she decided to keep it to herself, which I have to respect her process. But certainly, for those of us who cared about her, it was not an easy thing to deal with.”

The Real Housewives of Potomac returns Sunday, October 6th at 8/7c on Bravo and streaming next day on Peacock.

Watch our exclusive with Ashley Darby!