Kris Jenner put on a brave face to celebrate her daughter Kylie Jenner’s new venture on Thursday – three days after her sister Karen Houghton’s shock death.
It was announced that Karen – who famously had a rollercoaster relationship with Jenner – had died ‘unexpectedly’ died aged 65 this week.
Following the reports, Kris paid an emotional tribute to her ‘sensitive’ sister and said her ‘heart was broken’ for their mother MJ and Karen’s daughter Natalie.
Days after the tragic event, Kris, 68, arrived to Catch Steak alongside her boyfriend Corey Gamble, 43, and was also joined by her daughter Khloe and Sofia Vergara.
The mother of six wore a 70s-inspired white suit with black dagger lapels on the jacket and a ruffled black blouse underneath.
She completed her look with pointy heels, a tiny black purse and a large statement ring on her right hand.
The late-night soiree celebrated the release of Kylie’s 100-calorie canned vodka soda brand Sprinter — which is her first business venture in the spirits realm.
Kylie, 26, was also supported by her older half-sister Khloe Kardashian, 39, and her BFF Anastasia ‘Stassie’ Karanikolaou, 26.
It proved to be a star-studded affair as Modern Family actress Sofia Vergara and Muse frontman Matt Bellamy were spotted at the event.
Kris’ sister Karen was reported deceased to San Diego County officials on Monday in San Marcos, California, TMZ reported.
The exact circumstances of her passing are currently unclear, with county officials attributing her death to natural causes for now.
Karen and Kris grew up in San Diego and were raised predominately by their mother MJ after her divorce from their father Robert Houghton.
Kris shared a selection of photos with her sister on Tuesday and wrote: ‘It is with the heaviest heart and deepest sadness that I share that my sister Karen passed away yesterday unexpectedly.
‘My heart aches for my mom MJ and my niece Natalie and I pray that God guides us all through this difficult time. Karen was beautiful inside and out. She was the sweetest, kindest, the most sensitive and vulnerable and so so funny.
‘She always felt grateful and thankful for her life and treasured her family and friends and especially her beautiful daughter. She holds such a huge part of my heart and I cherish every single memory we have together.
‘Karen’s passing is a reminder that life is so short and precious and tomorrow is never promised. We must tell those we cherish how much we love them. I love you my beautiful sister.’
Karen is survived by her daughter Natalie, 26, who she welcomed with ex-husband Mark Zettel, mother MJ , Kris and nieces Kourtney, Kim and Khloe Kardashian, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, and nephew Rob Kardashian.
On Wednesday Natalie shared an emotional tribute to her mother via Instagram.
In it, the 26-year-old, who is first cousins with the Kardashian and Jenner kids, including Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, and Kendall Jenner, admitted that she ‘doesn’t know how to go on’ without her mom.
‘Dear Mommy, I can’t believe [you’re] gone,’ she began in the harrowing post. ‘This doesn’t even feel real.
‘It all happened so quick and I wasn’t ready for you to go. An angel was sent to heaven on March 18th, 2024. I love you mommy and you will forever be missed.’
Natalie, who works as a caregiver and is also a budding model, described her mother as her ‘best friend’ and ‘the most kind, sweet, loving, giving, and caring soul’ she knew.
‘I keep hoping that I will get to hug you or kiss you or hear your voice one last time,’ she continued.
‘You were my best friend, my everything, the best mother a daughter could ever ask for.
‘I’m so grateful to have had a mother like you. You were the most kind, sweet, loving, giving, and caring soul. You had the biggest heart.’
Kris and Karen had long endured a rollercoaster relationship, oscillating between taking public barbs at one another, to Kris lavishing her little sister with pricey gifts.
In 2019 the pair were revealed to have reunited in an Instagram Story posted by Karen’s daughter Natalie.
The feuding sisters posed smiling with Natalie, her famous cousin Kylie Jenner, and their mother Mary Jo Campbell.
Part-time nurse Karen had become known as the black sheep of the family after she candidly opened up outside Kim Kardashian’s baby shower in 2013 and even did a jig for waiting reporters.
Despite signing an NDA for the event, Karen waxed lyrical about eating ‘marshmallow on a stick’, the rose cake at the event and the goody bag, saying Kim and Kanye West ‘gave out Rolexes’.
Karen had frequently been outspoken when her sister Kris has riled her.
In 2013 Karen claimed that Kris had spent an eye-watering $1million on plastic surgery, which stemmed from being self-conscious about her weight when she was younger.
‘She was heavy as a kid and became worried about her looks at age 15,’ Karen told In Touch magazine.
She added: ‘The whole world knows it – Kris is vain.’
The reality star has been famously open about the two breast augmentations and the facelift she has had.
In 2014, Karen told Radar that despite Kris and her estranged husband Bruce looking friendly there would be no reunion.
Karen said: ‘Bruce left. He walked out on her, and I think he’s not coming back. He couldn’t take the yelling anymore and stuff.’
And she said Kris was not taking the split well, adding: ‘I think she’s got issues right now because Bruce left her. ‘Kris is alone, she’s not dating. She’s not the type to run around.’
She made the comments after writing on her Facebook page in April 2014: ‘Pray for Kris Jenner she needs it…crazy. Shes as nutcase [sic].
‘She doesn’t need prayers she needs sky vodka hahaha hahaha hahaha.’ And explaining her somewhat harsh views, Karen said ‘I get p***ed off at her because she doesn’t respond to me. If you think your sister would call you back, she doesn’t. And it hurts me.’
However the part-time nurse did poke fun at herself too, in a May 2014 Facebook post, writing, ‘Be someone s crazy aunt…its fabulous! !! K [sic]’
Karen – blamed her sibling’s celebrity status and hunger for fame and fortune.
She said: ‘I don’t care how much money you have or who you are, you’re my sister. I’m not afraid of her. I can’t get to her anymore. But I guess it’s the money.
‘She’s a huge celebrity and now she has changed. I’m not saying good or bad. But I’ve seen what it can do to Kris… ever since she moved to L.A.’
Admitting she has had run-ins with Kris – mainly to do with caring for their aging mother, Karen told MailOnline: ‘I called up Kris yelling at her, because I was like, ‘You need to help your mom more and you know it.’ And I think that she kind of got the message.I was screaming – I don’t even care.
The attack followed a 2013 interview during which Kris told Radar: ‘Unfortunately, my sister has been dealing with demons for years.’
In 2014, the former air stewardess told Radar, ‘when you express a loving family and family values and a close family and my mom wants to live in La Jolla, buy her a condo, Kris! I don’t understand her. I never will. It’s just her personality.’
In the star’s 2011 autobiography she said of her sister, ‘We loved each other, and we were there for each other through thick and thin, and to this day we are a part of each other’s lives.’
In 2016, Karen paid the ultimate compliment to the momager, getting an intensive face lift in order to ‘look like my beautiful sister Kris’.