No bad blood here. Jessa Duggar has made it clear that she and older sister Jill Duggar are still close — no matter what they share on social media.
Fans began speculating that the pair were feuding after Jessa seemingly skipped out on the certified midwife’s July 2022 baby shower, which was thrown by their cousin Amy Duggar. However, the Counting On alum made it clear that she was, in fact, present at the celebrations for Jill’s third child, claiming she just wasn’t in any of the photos that were shared on social media. (Jill, who also shares sons Israel and Samuel with Derick Dillard, welcomed son Freddy later that month.)
“Please let’s not assume there’s a negative motive behind everything we do and do not do,” Jessa wrote via Instagram at the time. “These rumors make me angry, and I’m here to put a stop to it. The narrative these kinds of comments put forward is a false one. Simply not true.”
She continued: “We spend plenty of time together even if there aren’t photos circulating on the internet to prove it. … Not every gathering has to be a photo op. Quit spreading hate.”
Though the duo appear to be on good terms, the sisters have experienced plenty of ups and downs with their family over the years. In June 2015, both Jill and Jessa revealed during an interview with Megyn Kelly that they had been molested by older brother Josh Duggar when they were growing up. “We feel like, as victims, we have to come out and speak. This is something that we chose to do. Nobody asked us to do this,” Jill said at the time, adding that both she and her sister had “forgiven” Josh for his past actions.
“I think in the case of what Josh did, it was very wrong. I’m not going to justify anything that he did or say it was OK. It’s not permissible. But I do want to speak up in his defense against people who are calling him a child molester or a pedophile or a rapist,” Jessa said. “That is so overboard and a lie, really.”
When their family’s original TLC series, 19 Kids and Counting, was canceled in the wake of Josh’s scandals, Jill and Jessa teamed up for a series of specials that would eventually become Counting On. The early episodes, filmed in late 2015, initially centered on the sisters’ lives as new mothers, but several of their other siblings eventually joined the show over the course of its run.
Jessa remained part of the show until its June 2021 cancellation, but Jill left in 2017 after six seasons, which caused some tension between her and her family. “There’s been some distancing there,” the mother of three explained in an October 2020 YouTube video. “We’re not on the best terms with some of my family. We’ve had some disagreements, but we’re working toward healing definitely and restoration, but we’re having to kind of just take some time and heal.”
Keep scrolling to learn more about Jill and Jessa’s relationship over the years:
Jill and Jessa — along with sisters Jana and Jinger Duggar — cowrote the book Growing Up Duggar: It's All About Relationships, which was released in March 2014. Courtesy of Jill Duggar/Instagram
Later that year, the twosome celebrated two major life milestones together. "Congratulations on your engagement @jessaseewald @ben_seewald!" Jill wrote via Instagram in August 2014 while celebrating her younger sister's betrothal. "We are so happy for y'all!" That same month, the fourth-oldest Duggar announced that she and Dillard were expecting their first child. Courtesy of Jessa Seewald/Instagram
"@jessaseewald and @ben_seewald are here for dinner! So fun to hang out with our siblings!" Jill wrote via Instagram in December 2014, one month after her younger sister's wedding. Courtesy of Jessa Seewald/Instagram
One month after reports claiming that older brother Josh had molested multiple girls when he was a teenager resurfaced, Jill and Jessa came forward as two of his victims. "This was something that's already been dealt with. We've already forgiven Josh. We've moved on," Jill said at the time. YouTube
During an episode of Counting On, Jessa confessed that she had a "difficult" time while her sister was on a year-long mission trip to Central America with Dillard. "For most everybody, it’s been nearly 10 months since they’ve got to hang out with them and see them in person," she said in an October 2016 episode that chronicled Jill's homecoming. "Jill and I have had so much in common over these past three years. It’s been difficult for me not to have that connection with her, sister to sister — now mom to mom. So we’re looking forward to having them back.” Courtesy of Jill Duggar/Instagram
After six seasons of the reality series, Jill and her husband announced that they would not be returning for future episodes of Counting On. “We found out we didn’t have as much control over our lives as it related to the show and stuff, as we needed," she explained in a YouTube Q&A video three years later. "We had to make a decision at that time to kind of put the show aside … to pursue our own goals and everything." In another video, the couple claimed that they weren't being compensated for working on the spinoff "Up until around the time we left the show, we hadn't been paid for anything," Jill claimed in October 2020. "Of course, there were perks that came along with filming. ... We hadn't been paid until we were really pressing about it and ended up getting an attorney involved and stuff." Courtesy of Jill Duggar/Instagram
While opening up about their departure from the TLC series, Jill revealed her decision to leave Counting On caused tension between her and her family. "It was a really difficult decision. ... We're not on the best terms with some of my family. We’ve had some disagreements," she explained. "But we're working toward healing definitely and restoration, but we're having to kind of just take some time and heal." YouTube
Jill gave fans an update on her relationship with her siblings in the wake of her departure from reality TV. “We definitely feel like we’re in a healthy place now for our family and have control over our lives," she told Us Weekly exclusively at the time. "Certain people are more supportive than others. I think it ebbs and flows with a family of that size. Every family has drama and so when you’ve got that many more people giving opinions or whatever, it can get crazy.” Courtesy of Jill Duggar/Instagram
Jill reunited with sisters Jessa and Joy-Anna to celebrate her 30th birthday following the drama surrounding her Counting On departure. “Had a lovely belated birthday lunch with some of my fam at one of our favorite places!” she wrote via her Instagram Story at the time. Courtesy of Jill Duggar/Instagram, Courtesy of Joy-Anna Duggar/Instagram; Courtesy of Jessa Duggar/Instagram
Following TLC's decision to cancel Counting On in the wake of Josh's April 2021 arrest on child pornography charges, for which he was later sentenced to 12 years in prison, Jessa shared a photo with her mother, Michelle Duggar, and sister Jana on social media. “Some of my favorite people right here!" she wrote via Instagram in July 2021. “Always love spending time with y’all! @janamduggar @duggarfam.” Courtesy of Jessa Seewald/Instagram
“I feel so loved and more prepared now for baby boy with all the gifts, prayers & blessings by friends and family (+ several who couldn’t attend the party in person) who showered us this weekend in anticipation of our little man’s arrival next month!” Jill wrote via Facebook in July 2022 alongside several photos from her third baby shower. In her post, she thanked hermother-in-law and sister-in-law for hosting the party alongside her cousin Amy and aunt Deanna Duggar, which caused fans to speculate that her sisters weren't invited to the festivities. Courtesy of jill Duggar/Instagram
Jessa quickly shut down any rumors of a feud between her and her older sister by confirming that she was present at Jill's baby shower. “Please let’s not assume there’s a negative motive behind everything we do and do not do," she wrote via Instagram at the time. "These rumors make me angry, and I’m here to put a stop to it. The narrative these kinds of comments put forward is a false one. Simply not true.” Courtesy of Jill Duggar/Instagram
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