‘An incredibly difficult decision,’ he says

Tinsley Mortimer

Tinsley Mortimer and Scott Kluth split up, PERSON can confirm with exclusivity.

Kluth says he is the first New York City real housewives The star ended his engagement several months ago, more than a year after the proposal by the CEO of CouponCabin.

“After fourteen months of engagement, Tinsley and I ended our relationship and have lived independently for the past few months,” Kluth, 40, told People in a statement. “It was an incredibly difficult decision, but I believe it is the best one for both of us. I will always care about Tinsley and sincerely wish her happiness and success in everything she does in the future.”

“Although I know that this news will be of interest to many, I ask for privacy and understanding during this period, as I continue to work on emotional recovery from the end of our relationship,” concludes the statement.

A source close to the couple told PEOPLE that Mortimer was “taken aback” by the split.

“This was not mutual, she was taken by surprise. She is on the floor with a broken and devastated heart. She left everything to him because she thought he would never cancel the engagement, ”said the source. “She trusted him that this time would be different.”

Mortimer’s representative did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

Tinsley Mortimer / Instagram

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The two met in February 2017, when Mortimer RHONY casting partner Carole Radziwill put them on a blind date.

They went in and out for the next few years before committing in November 2019 on the steps of the Chicago Water Tower in front of a group of Christmas singers.

In 2020, Mortimer, 45, officially left RHONY to move to Chicago and live with Kluth.

“With Scott, so much has happened so fast,” she said on the show of her decision to leave New York at the time. “I know that if I don’t enjoy this moment right now, I will regret it for the rest of my life. I have to listen to myself and what I want and no one else.”

“It has been a great journey and I am very happy with where I am now and my future,” she added.

RELATED: Tinsley Mortimer shows off her huge engagement ring and spills out details of the wedding dress

Last May, Mortimer said isolating himself with Kluth during the COVID-19 pandemic strengthened his relationship, saying “it is exactly what we needed”.

“Our relationship is actually much better,” she said during an appearance on See what happens live with Andy Cohen. “I just wanted to stay home with him and have a normal life [life]. And it’s obviously beyond normal, the fact that I’m cooking and cleaning, but I really impressed him, which is a lot of fun. It’s been really good. “

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