Heartening reason Kelly Clarkson 'remained protective' of Brandon Blackstock after split

Selfless singer Kelly Clarkson "remained protective" of her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock - despite their split - for the sake of their children, sources have today claimed.

The musician is understood to be "devastated" following Brandon's death to skin cancer at 48 although they've been divorced for twio years. Sources say Kelly, 43, is particularly sad for the two children she shared with Brandon; 11-year-old River, and nine-year-old Remington.

And it was for the benefit of the youngsters that Kelly, known for her songs Since U Been Gone and Miss Independent, had always been protective and watchful of Brandon in his final years. One insider told People: "When she found out that he was sick, she remained protective of him for their sake. Kelly has always tried to keep things classy. It became clear earlier this year that Brandon was not doing well. She’s been devastated for the kids." It comes after model Danielle Lloyd announced she too has been diagnosed with skin cancer.

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Kelly was keen to "keep things classy" despite filing for divorce from Brandon, a talent manager, in 2020 after seven years of marriage. Their split was finalised two years later, and since then the media professional, originally from Fort Worth, Texas, was diagnosed with the cancer.

Although she faced challenges with her relationship and divorce, Kelly is said to have always prioritised little River and Remington. The source continued: "The divorce was incredibly difficult for her — messy, painful and something she felt terrible about. But she always wanted her kids to have the best relationship possible with their dad. She never spoke poorly about Brandon to the kids."

Brandon, also from Fort Worth, kept his cancer journey secret from the press, with the family statement released following his death the first acknowledgment of it. They said in a statement: "It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away.

"Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years. He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family's privacy during this very difficult time."

Yet despite the ill-health, Brandon co-parented with Kelly, both seemingly putting the youngsters first over any differences. In an interview in 2023, Kelly said: "I ask my kids every night when we're snuggling and I put them to bed, 'Are you happy? And if you're not, what could make you happier?'

"Especially the past two years ... it kills me [but] I want them to be honest so I don't ever say, 'Oh God, don't tell me that,' but a lot of times it would be like, 'I'm just really sad. I wish Mommy and Daddy were in the same house.' They're really honest about it. I'm raising that kind of individual."