Amy Duggar Commends Cousin Jill Dillard for Changing Her Life; Says Jill’s Smiling “Brighter These Days” After Distancing From Duggar Family

Strolling away from FundieVille like…

Jill Dillard has made some major changes in her life over the past year or so, distancing herself from her conservative family and bucking the Duggar Family traditions she was brought up to observe. While Counting On fans have certainly noticed the change in Jill, her cousin, Amy Duggar King, took to Instagram on Tuesday to recognize it.

“You smile just a bit brighter these days! So proud of you hippie chick!” Amy captioned a selfie of her with Jill.

‘Counting On’ fans have watched as Jill has become her own woman over the last few years, ditching the Duggar dress code by regularly wearing pants, shorts and tank tops; cutting her flowing Fundie-esque hair; piercing her nose and enrolling her eldest son Israel in public schooling.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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You smile just a bit brighter these days! So proud of you hippie chick!☀️✌

A post shared by Amy King (@amyrachelleking) on

In the comment section of Amy’s Instagram post, many of Jill’s fans expressed their support of her taking control of her own life.

“She’s distancing herself away from the family and becoming her own person,” one person wrote. “She’s been putting lots of hard work in.”

“Breaking away from that father is what they all should do,” another commented. 

As The Ashley previously reported, Jill’s husband Derick Dillard has been outspoken about his feud with Jill’s family, particularly with her dad Jim Bob Duggar, whom Derick claims kept all of the money the family made from appearing on both ‘Counting On’ and 19 Kids & Counting. Jill and Derick have not appeared on the show for several years, and Derick recently revealed that he and Jill are not allowed at the Duggar home without permission from Jim Bob, due to Jim Bob feeling that the Dillards may be bad influences on Jill’s siblings.

That face you make when you’re supposedly the ‘bad influence’ on your siblings, yet your brother Josh is still allowed to come around…

In a recent interview, Derick stated that the rift between them and Jill’s family has been “difficult” for both him and Jill

“We do try to invite [Jill’s] brother and sisters-in-laws over as much as [they] can come,” he told The Sun last month. “We hope and pray God would restore relationships where there is brokenness. But, at the same time, we recognize that only God can change people’s hearts and bring healing.”

Tuesday’s Instagram post is not the first time Amy has shown her support for the Dillards.  In January, she commended Derick for speaking out about being forced into filming ‘Counting On’ without pay.

“[Derick] you really are shedding some light on some very dark gray areas,” Amy tweeted in January. “Keep it up!” 

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight last week, Amy discussed (in a very broad terms) the relationship she has with the Duggar Family, and confirmed that she and Jill talk frequently.

“Jill and I text, not on a daily basis, but we text quite often,” she told ET. “And we discuss things.”

“What do we discuss, you ask? Well, I’ll give you a hint: it rhymes with Slim Knob!”

As for the relationship she has with her other Duggar cousins, Amy admitted that she lives a very different life than they do.

“I think we are all just trying to find our path, and we’re all just doing things differently,” Amy said. “I’m doing things differently and I’m happy where I’m at. I’m happy for them.”

Although she didn’t specifically state that she is no longer in touch with the Duggar offspring still living under Jim Bob’s rule, Amy hinted that she no longer has a relationship with Jessa Duggar Seewald. When asked about the speech issues that Jessa’s son Henry has struggled with, Amy insinuated that she has not been in contact with Jessa.

“I hope all the best for him and that he and the family are fine,” Amy said.

She also hinted that, like Jill, she’s happy to be free to do what she wants and not live under the strict Duggar Family rules.

“I’m in a good place and I wish my family all the best,” Amy said. “I have freedom and it is wonderful.”

‘Counting On’ premieres tonight (without Jill and Amy) on TLC. 

RELATED STORY: ‘Counting On’ Stars Jessa & Ben Seewald Say They Want a “House Full” of Kids; Are Considering Adopting Their Fourth Child

(Photos: Instagram, TLC)

16 Comments

  1. Yeah, the thing that she is not allowed to come to the compound on her own will while her abuser of a brother can…JB will never change. That’s a fact. I don’t think Michelle will either, she has been married and brainwashed by him basically her whole life (she has been wearing bikinis and short shorts when she was a cheerleader), even his father was like “WTF, why so many kids” before he died. So it’s obvious it all grew in his own head, it wasn’t how he was raised because his parents had a normal marriage (kissed on their first date too!) and had only two kids. So I can only assume one day it did a “click” in Jim Bob’s head and he dragged his wife in it.

    I am surprised Amy is in no contact with Jessa but maybe there’s more than what we see. I would assume it has to do with her father again because Amy’s parents are divorced and again, they don’t believe in that. All in all, Jill is slowly but firmly making her own decisions and that’s big for someone who has been sheltered for all her life. And if her own family really wants to shame her for wearing pants, putting her kid in public school and having a nose ring then let them! It’s their own problem if they always say they “love their children unconditionally” through gritted teeth.


    1. of course she could come over to help jess deliver her baby right that was ok by jim bob they are trash parents . I never thought I would say I’m proud of jil because honestly she was so hard to take on tv with derrick . the my husband the creepy stare and needing to be with even on his lunch. But now holy cow never thought she would be the one to break free first and I’m loving it. I do feel bad they have to be struggling financially and they deserve the money she earned from the time she was 16


  2. Living for the captions on the pictures, The Ashley. Rhymes with Slim Knob made me shoot Diet Coke out my nose.


    1. And sometimes blood ain’t thicker than water… just because they’re “family” doesn’t give anyone an automatic exemption, or deserve automatic loyalty. Family dynamics are the most complicated of them all….


  3. I find it interesting that Cousin Amy, has appropriated the use of the Duggar name. Although she is a related, that was not her last name. Another nobody grappling with the need to be in the spotlight. Sit down, shut up and go away.


    1. That was her last name. Her parents weren’t married when she was born and she was given her mothers last name, Duggar. However Amy is married now and her last name is King. You are entirely wrong.


    2. Gracee: I agree that Amy is cashing in and being a fame whore essentially. He famous extended family was a big payday for her and is the sole reason she’s “relevant “….. I mean Marriage Boot Camp etc don’t cast private people.
      HOWEVER, I think that the Duggars also capitalize on ” Cousin Amy” during their run. I even remember her being in the opening credits. An entire episode was dedicated to her eating early bird hibachi with Josh/Anna during engagement.
      My point is, they’re both fame hungry and ate mutually using each other. With the good comes the bad and they both have benefitted from their relationship.


  4. Are we all just going to forget Derrick’s anti-trans rants or….???
    Like it’s cool they are breaking away from the Duggar’s but they’re STILL very fundie.


    1. Of course both of them still hold problematic views, but people should be praised for the positive changes they make, especially when they are deprogramming from a cult. It is unrealistic to think that someone who was brainwashed their ENTIRE LIFE will completely change in a matter of months. It takes years of learning, being open to uncomfortable conversations, cutting ties with toxic individuals, etc.

      Every single person has prejudices to some degree, even the most liberal people who fight daily for social justice have prejudices. Our job is to learn and become better. Jill and Derrick have farther to go than most, but it seems like they are trying, so good for them.

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