Kathy Hilton Praises ‘Very Smart’ and ‘Fun’ Sister Kyle Richards

After the year she had, Kathy Hilton was not surprised that sister Kyle Richards was named the Us Weekly Reality Star of the Year.

“She’s worked so hard,” Kathy, 66, said of Kyle in Us Weekly’s cover story. “You can’t fool the public. They see it all. Kyle has a lot of heart, and she’s very smart and witty and she’s fun — who wouldn’t want to check in with her?”

Hilton has been by Kyle’s side as The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star navigates a separation from estranged husband Mauricio Umansky. In July 2023, Richards, 55, and Umansky, 54, split after 27 years of marriage — and fans watched the end of their relationship play out during RHOBH season 13, which aired earlier this year.

“Husbands can come and go … but blood sisters, we always are there for each other and when one needs it, we mother each other,” Hilton told Us. “To me, a sister, you should be able to say anything to and have it just between you and your sisters, it’s the trust.”

In order to keep their bond strong, Kathy said it’s important she keeps her “mouth shut” when it comes to keeping their family in a good place. (Kathy and Kyle’s sister, Kim Richards, has been candid about her addiction struggles over the years. It’s been reported that she relapsed last month.)

“We are in the public eye [and should] work on any issue we have in private,” Kathy explained, noting that her former feud with Kyle is “all in the past.”

“I’m not a fighter, and Kyle isn’t either,” she added. The two came to blows in 2022 following a fight in Aspen, which was shown during RHOBH season 12. At the time, Kathy stepped back from the Bravo show. However, she’s back and better than ever for the show’s upcoming 14th season.

“If you’d asked me this five years ago, I would say there is no way on planet Earth that I would ever [be on RHOBH]. Not for any other reason than I just didn’t want to be on a show like that,” Kathy explained to Us. “I had a wonderful, wonderful time and a great experience. And so, when they asked me to come back. I said, ‘You know what? I had a lot of fun.’”

She added: “It’s kind of like a Girls Club. Who wouldn’t want to be a fly on the wall with this group?”

Reporting by Amanda Williams

For more on Kyle, watch the exclusive video above and pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly — on newsstands now.