The Kardashian family saga is filled with drama, fame, and fortune, but one chapter often overlooked involves the woman who married their father just weeks before his death. Ellen Pierson, the last wife of attorney Robert Kardashian, remains a controversial and mysterious figure in the family's history, a point recently highlighted by Khloé Kardashian herself.
Who Is Ellen Pierson?
Judith Ellen Pierson was born on 26 May 1950 in Los Angeles, California. As of January 2026, she is 75 years old. A professional in real estate and insurance, Pierson lived a relatively private life until her fateful connection to one of America's most famous families.
She built a long career, starting as a real estate agent in Santa Clara before later working as an escrow agent and spending nearly three decades in the insurance industry. Her life took a dramatic turn when she met businessman and attorney Robert George Kardashian.
A Brief Marriage and Lasting Controversy
Ellen Pierson and Robert Kardashian reportedly got engaged in 2001 and married in August 2003. Tragically, their union was devastatingly short. Robert Kardashian died from esophageal cancer on 30 September 2003, just weeks after the wedding.
This brief marriage is at the heart of the enduring tension between Pierson and the Kardashian children—Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, and Rob. Khloé Kardashian recently revisited the painful memory on her podcast, Khloe in Wonder Land, stating, "I don't have really anything of my dad's. When my dad died, a woman married him weeks on his deathbed and took everything from us... Long story."
Her mother, Kris Jenner, added fuel to the fire on Keeping Up With the Kardashians, suggesting Pierson had propped a terminally ill Robert up on a pillow to marry him in his pyjamas.
Legal Battles and a Fractured Relationship
After Robert's death, Pierson was specifically bequeathed the Indian Wells property and its furnishings from his estate, valued at the time at an alleged $5 million. The bulk of the estate went to his four children.
However, peace was not to follow. The relationship soured completely, leading to public legal disputes:
- In 2012, Pierson claimed to possess Robert's personal writings that alleged domestic abuse during his marriage to Kris Jenner.
- In response, Kim, Khloé, and Kourtney sued her for defamation, fraud, and copyright infringement.
- By 2015, the court ruled in the Kardashian siblings' favour, banning Pierson from publishing or profiting from the documents.
Pierson also filed her own suit, accusing the family of smearing her reputation on their reality show and hiring a private investigator to paint her as a gold digger.
Ellen Pierson's Life Today
So, where is Ellen Pierson now? Following the very public fallout, she has retreated entirely from the spotlight. She is believed to still reside in the United States, leading a quiet and private life.
While she did not have children with Robert Kardashian, she is a stepmother to his four famous children and is reported to have a daughter of her own from a previous relationship, making her a grandmother.
The story of Ellen Pierson is a poignant reminder of the complex and often painful personal histories that exist behind the glamorous facade of celebrity families. Her short marriage to Robert Kardashian created a rift with his children that, judging by Khloé's recent comments, remains unresolved over two decades later.
