Jason Duggar’s fiancée Maddie Grace is ready to officially be a member of the controversial family.
But, who exactly is this girl?
For three months, fans have tried piecing together the identity of the woman who has stolen the rebellious Duggar’s heart.
There have been clues along the way, and guesses that seem wildly off base now.
So, what can we tell you about this mysterious young lady ready to be Maddie Grace Duggar? Let’s dive in.
For One Thing, She is NOT a Former Reality Show
Jason had made his relationship with Maddie Instagram official in late May, sharing pics of the two embracing and walking on the beach.
At the time, the 19 Kids and Counting alum did not identify her by name. However, fans had a sneaking suspicion that the young woman was also from the reality TV world.
A number of members of the Bates family — whose own reality series, Bringing Up Bates, ran for 10 seasons on Up TV — commented on Jason’s revealing upload.
For example, Esther and Whitney Bates, commented on the post with a smiley face/heart of emoji. This prompted another user to note in the comments:
“The fact that Bates sisters are commenting with ????eyes makes me think it’s a Bates sister.”
Now, the union of two members of these TLC dynasty families would’ve been huge news.
Their aforementioned program went off the air in 2022.
It didn’t receive as much attention as Counting On, the series that catapulted Jason to fame, mostly because the Bates family has avoided the kind of controversy that has so often come the Duggars’ way.
Most notably when it has come to Josh Duggar, who cheated on his wife; molested his siblings; and was then convicted on child pornography possession charges.
If it had been a Bates sister, this might’ve been the way to get both families back on TV.
But alas, such is not the case.
Maddie Grace Duggar Is Embracing The Name
As we explained, Jason Duggar didn’t reveal the name of his partner for three months while they were courting; nor did he even show her face.
She emerged over Labor Day weekend in engagement photos that were posted by Jase, the photographer – and Maddie herself on her newly debuted Instagram account.
And the full name she gave fans? Maddie Grace Duggar.
No maiden name, no photos posted except for the engagement photos.
It’s like she popped into existence, a full-fledged Duggar bride.
“On 8/24, Jase asked me to marry him,” she wrote on Instagram Aug. 30 in a post also shared on Jason’s page, “and I could not be more excited!!”
The best bit of information fans got from this development was from the photographer, Kayla Johnson, who shared more pics from the proposal on her own page.
“Congratulations to Jason & Maddie!” she wrote. “These two seriously have the sweetest relationship I’ve ever seen.”
Kayla continued, “Jase is the most intentional, kind human and Maddie matches that energy perfectly. She truly is the most beautiful ball of light in any room. I couldn’t imagine a cuter duo, and I cannot wait to see them officially become one!! What a joy it is to watch God do something beautiful between two people.”
Ok well, that’s… something.
The Duggar Family Approves of The Match
As he’s made clear in recent years, Jason Duggar no longer follows every strict family rule.
We direct you to these Jason Duggar shirtless photos as red hot proof of such defiance.
For their part, the Duggars have traditionally abided by a courtship process due to their conservative Christian background.
Prior to a couple’s wedding day, kissing, hand-holding and other public displays of affection are not permitted.
In looking at engagement photos, it’s clear that Jason and his lady love have already defied those rules. He’s seen kissing her head, holding her close to his chest, and lest us not forget how this all started – a hand holding photo!
Early in the courtship process, a chaperone must also be present for all outings and/or dates.
“Courting is getting to know each other in a group setting, both families spending time together and the couple setting goals together to determine if they are meant to marry,” Jim Bob told People Magazine in 2013.
“With dating, a couple will often pair off alone and that sometimes leads to a more physical relationship.”
So who among the Duggars may have stepped into fill that role? It seems most of the family has embraced her.
Most of them have already started following her on her brand new Instagram. Jinger looks to be the first to sign off as a follower. Then came James and Jeremy’s wife, Hannah. However, it does not look like the “family” page run by Jason’s parents is following her yet – though she follows them! She also follows Jed, Jer, and John, none of which have returned the favor.
Jill, Amy, Joy, and Jess all liked the engagement photos on Maddie’s new page, which is also a good sign.
No sign of Jana though, the family’s most recent bride.
