Kristin Cavallari, 37, says Mark Estes, 24, will 'thank me' for ending their relationship: 'He needs to experience life'

Kristin Cavallari has opened up about her split from Mark Estes, saying that one day she'll thank him for calling it quits.

The “Hills” alum, 37, pulled the plug on her relationship with the 24-year-old influencer seven months after their romance debuted.

Speaking on Tuesday's episode of his “Let's Be Honest” podcast, Cavallari explained why he and the Montana Boys TikTok star split.

“Mark and I broke up,” she said. “It's hard because I broke up with Mark because I just know long-term it's not right, and it's not because love is lost or something bad happened.”

Cavallari explained that their romance ended amicably, adding that “no one cheated” or “wasn't meant to be.”

“He was the best boyfriend I ever had,” she said of the social media star. “I just know that he has to experience life long enough, he's young… I'm starting to feel a little bit of age with life experience.”

“I look back to when I was 24 and how much life has happened since then, those are important years, those are formative years, those are when you find yourself and he has to be able to do that,” he added.

Cavallari shares sons Camden, 12, Jackson, 10, and Saylor, 8, with her ex-husband, former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler.

The mother of three discovered Estes on social media in September 2023 and the pair began dating in February 2024.

Cavallari admitted that the pair's 13-year age gap was always something he was “well aware of”.

Still, she added that their ill-fated relationship was nonetheless “very healthy and very mature.”

“He'll make someone so happy one day … and he'll have a beautiful family of his own,” she said. “I know that one day he'll look back and realize that, and I actually think one day he'll look back and thank me.”

As for Estes, it will take some time for him to gain the same “insight,” he indicated.

“I don't regret going public with him. I don't regret introducing him to my kids,” she continued. “I don't regret anything.”

“It was a good, happy relationship. And I think with every relationship you learn and you grow, and I will forever look back on Mark and me with such fond memories and just pure happiness,” she added.

While he's back to single life, Cavallari admits he has “no interest in getting back into the dating world right now.”

“I'm really happy and really content my life is now about my kids and work,” she said, adding that she was going to focus on “taking care of myself.”

“I feel this power to feel really, really good and make myself a priority, and so I don't really know where men fall on that list,” she said.

“I think they do nothing, and in a few months, I'm sure that will change. But right now, that's what I want to do.