My So-Called Life star A.J. Langer and her husband Charles Courtenay are ending their marriage after nearly 20 years together.
In an official statement from Powderham Castle, Courtenay, who is the 19th Earl of Devon, confirmed his split from Langer, who played Rayanne on the ’90s cult hit and is now a countess.
“After much care and consideration, Charles Courtenay, the Earl of Devon, and Countess of Devon, Allison Joy Courtenay, have made the decision to separate and to divorce,” the statement read. “Charlie would like to express his gratitude for his partnership with A.J. and all that they have created together as parents, friends and partners both in Los Angeles and at Powderham. The well-being of their wonderful children is the highest priority, as he and A.J. focus upon coparenting in the years ahead.”
The statement continued: “Charlie is grateful for their supportive communities in Devon and in California, and he politely requests that his and his family’s privacy is respected at this time.”
Courtenay, 48, also filed for divorce from Langer in Los Angeles on Thursday, according to documents.
In the filing (which was first reported by The Blast), he cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the split. He listed the date of separation as September 30. He is also requesting joint custody of the couple’s two children: Joscelyn, 16, and Jack, 14.
According to the court documents, Courtenay has not determined his individual or the couple’s communal “assets and debts” at the time of filing. He also requested to determine spousal support for Langer at a later time.
Back in 2017, the beloved ’90s TV star opened up about meeting Courtenay, who was visiting from Britain with his London Scottish rugby team, during a bachelorette party in Las Vegas in 2002.
“We caught eyes and smiled. The kilt was a novelty. The smile was all I needed,” Langer shared.
“We instantly got on like a house on fire,” Courtenay added. “We went out to a nightclub — I wasn’t allowed in because I was wearing a skirt! So we spent a bit of time walking around the streets and got to know each other really, really well.”
What she didn’t know about him then was that he was the heir to one of the grandest titles in Britain: Earl of Devon. For his part, Courtenay had never seen My So-Called Life and had no idea she was famous.
The pair went on to tie the knot in 2004 and called Powderham Castle in in Devon, UK home during their marriage.
