
Mia Thornton was rooting for Ashley Darby to “secure the bag” in her divorce from estranged husband Michael Darby.
Thornton, 38, believes her “Real Housewives of Potomac” castmate, 34, could have done so had she not been distracted by her romance with “Summer House” star Luke Gulbranson.
“I think that Ashley needs to spend more time worrying about Ashley, and then maybe she would’ve secured the bag,” she says on Page Six’s “Virtual Reali-Tea” podcast.
During part one of the “RHOP” Season 7 reunion, Ashley revealed her prenup with Michael, 63, “did not work out” in her favor.
“Essentially, everything that Michael came into the marriage with is his,” the former pageant queen said of the Australian businessman.
“The money that Michael made, that he then put into other projects later, is all considered his because of the source of the money.”
Ashley also explained that her “iron-clad” prenup prevents her from receiving alimony as they move toward finalizing their divorce.
However, the “Coffee & Love” singer did purchase a multimillion-dollar home with Michael under an LLC and now resides there with their two young sons: Dean, 3, and Dylan, 2.
“I get my house,” she noted. “I also have some language in my separation and divorce agreement about some safety nets in case I have some financial difficulty.”
Ashley called it quits with Gulbranson, 39, late last year, blaming the breakup on her complex dynamic with Michael. (Following eight years of marriage, she announced their plan to divorce in the spring of 2022.)
“It’s not really about Luke, but [Michael and I] just have a hard time period with co-parenting and with separating,” she said in January on “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.”
At the reunion, Ashley admitted to “falling in love” with Gulbranson before they decided to part ways — just months after sparking a connection at BravoCon 2022.
In addition to her fling with the hunky model, Thornton suggests Ashley was too wrapped up in the “Potomac” drama to focus on her future financial stability.
“She was so busy running around town, chasing after what Chris [Bassett] was doing to [his wife] Candiace [Dillard] or not doing or DM’ing or who not DM’ing,” she says, acknowledging Ashley’s involvement in conflict over claims that Bassett, 45, made Gizelle Bryant “uncomfortable” during a private interaction backstage at the Season 6 reunion.
“And I’m like, ‘Girl, you should have just been DM’ing your next thing. Like, you need to find a man clearly. You need to secure the bag.’”
Though Thornton is friendly with both Ashley and Bryant, 52, she is “disappointed” they came for Bassett over unfounded gossip.
For her part, Ashley claimed at the start of Season 7 that Bassett had sent her an inappropriate Instagram message late at night.
It was later determined that the chef simply invited the TikTok enthusiast and her friend to stop by the rooftop bar he managed at the time.
Ashley’s accusation against Bassett ultimately impeded a burgeoning friendship with Dillard, 36 — and things only worsened when Ashley’s pal Deborah Williams claimed Bassett made a pass at her when cameras started rolling for Season 7. (Footage later proved this to be untrue.)
“I love Chris! I do. I think he’s a lot of fun. He feels comfortable with us, he does,” Thornton says.
“And he should. He’s not coming for us. He has his own wife at home. But he should feel comfortable like a brother, and I don’t want him to feel uncomfortable with us, so I didn’t like it at all.”
Part three of the “Real Housewives of Potomac” Season 7 reunion airs Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.
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