Who Is Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s Ex-Fiancé Ken Urker? Everything to Know
Originally appeared on E! Online
Gypsy Rose Blanchard is back with a familiar face.
Just days after confirming that she had broken up with her husband Ryan Anderson, the 32-year-old stepped out with her ex-fiancé Ken Urker, who she was engaged to while serving prison time for the 2015 murder of her mom Clauddine "Dee Dee" Blanchard.
In fact, the pair sparked speculation that they had rekindled their romance on April 4, when they were seen holding hands while shopping at a Dollar General in Gypsy's home state of Louisiana.
Although Ken recently denied reconciliation rumors and online accusations of "clout chasing," it's clear that he shares a strong connection to Gypsy. After all, the two are now proud owners of matching dog tattoos, which they got inked shortly after news of Gypsy's split went public.
And Gypsy has been vocal about her lingering feelings for Ken. Ahead of her 2022 prison wedding with Ryan, she admitted she had a dream about leaving the schoolteacher for Ken.
Gypsy Rose Blanchard's Photos With Husband Ryan Anderson
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"I had a dream about my ex, and in that dream, I left you for my ex," Gypsy told Ryan in a prison phone call, which was played for viewers in her Lifetime docuseries The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard. "I'm sorry. I know that there is a part of me that still has love for him."
So, just who is Ken? Keep reading for everything you need to know about his relationship with Gypsy.
Who is Gypsy Rose Blanchard's ex-fiancé Ken Urker?
Ken was engaged to Gypsy when she was still serving out her prison sentence for the 2015 murder of her mom Dee Dee.
Gypsy has described him as having a "very kind heart" and being "kind of a nerd" like herself. "He wears his heart on his sleeve," she shared in a 2019 interview with E! News. "We are particularly totally in love with Harry Potter."
According to his mom Raina Williams, Ken is currently living in Texas.
How did Gypsy Rose Blanchard meet Ken Urker?
Gypsy was first introduced to Ken in 2017, when he wrote to her in prison after watching Mommy Dead and Dearest, the HBO documentary about Gypsy's complicated relationship with her late mother.
"We became fast friends," Gypsy recounted. "It was pretty soon after that that we started talking on the phone. We would spend hours on the phone. I talked to him like I had known him my whole life and vice versa."
When did Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Ken Urker start dating?
Ken took their friendship to the next level during his first visit to prison, giving Gypsy what she described as "the most wonderful kiss" upon their in-person meeting.
"The kiss he gave me was quite passionate," she shared. "I looked at him and was like, 'I didn't even know you liked me like that,' and he said, 'Yeah, I have for a while.' And I'm like, 'I have for a while, too.'"
When did Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Ken Urker get engaged?
The couple got engaged in October 2018, when Ken proposed with a silver band during a prison visit. The two had already "bounced around the idea" of marriage, according to Gypsy, so his big question wasn't a huge surprise.
"He held my hands close and told me how much I meant to him," she told E! of the proposal, "and he's like, 'I would really, really be honored if I could have your hand in marriage.'"
When did Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Ken Urker break up?
Gypsy and Ken briefly hit pause on their relationship in August 2019 to focus on their "personal growth," she told E! at the time. Despite coming back together with clearer heads, their romance eventually fizzled out.
However, as Gypsy noted in The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, she "always had a difficulty of letting go" their past completely.
"We were so connected at one time that I felt like he was a soul mate," she said, adding that it was "devastating" when Ken broke off their relationship for good.
How does Gypsy Rose Blanchard's estranged husband Ryan Anderson feel about her connection to Ken Urker?
Ryan has not publicly weighed in on romance rumors between Gypsy and Ken, though he did say in her 2024 Lifetime docuseries that he was "hurt" to learn she was still in contact with her ex-fiancé three weeks before their wedding.
"It's one of those things where it's like, 'Do I worry that she'll leave me for him?'" the educational instructor said in a confessional. "I do feel second fiddle."
Gypsy first started corresponding with Ryan in 2020, eventually getting married in July 2022. She was released from prison in December 2023 after serving seven years.
For more insight into Gypsy's post-prison life, keep reading.
"First Selfie of Freedom!"
After being released from prison on Dec. 28, Gypsy Rose Blanchard snapped her first Instagram selfie.
"Married Life"
Gypsy and husband Ryan Anderson shared a glimpse into their new era together.
"Sister Love"
Gypsy reunited with her sister Mia Blanchard amid her new chapter.
Goodbye 2023
"A New Years Eve Eve kiss with my hubby."
Turning the Page
Gypsy also ended 2023 with an Instagram selfie.
Red Carpet Debut
Gypsy and her husband walked their first red carpet at the premiere of her Lifetime docuseries The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard.
PDA Alert
Gypsy and Ryan kissed on the red carpet at the premiere.
Break Up
Three months after her prison release, Gypsy shared that she and Ryan broke up.
"People have been asking what is going on in my life," she wrote in a statement on her private Facebook page, according to People. "Unfortunately my husband and I are going through a separation and I moved in with my parents home down the bayou."
