Teen Mom star Kristina Shirley’s very private daughter Karly was seen for the first time in a sweet snap shared by her stepsister Leah after turning 18.
On Tuesday, Gary Shirley and his ex Amber Portwood’s 16-year-old daughter took to Instagram to share a series of photos featuring adorable throwback photos together and wished her stepsister Karly a happy birthday.
Alongside a selfie of Karly kissing the side of her head, Leah gushed: ‘HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY SISSY!!! Remember to have no regrets with wherever life leads you from now on, I love you so much, I hope you had the best day ever.’
Karly is Kristina’s daughter from her previous marriage with her unnamed ex.
In the comments section, fans raved about seeing Kristina’s nearly identical daughter for the first time now that Karly is a legal adult.
Previously, it was reported that Kristina had to ensure her eldest daughter was not shown on the MTV reality shows nor on social media lest she lose primary custody to her ex, Karly’s father.
Teen Mom star Kristina Shirley’s very private daughter Karly (right) was seen for the first time in a sweet snap shared by her stepsister Leah (left) after turning 18
Karly is Kristina’s daughter from her previous marriage with her unnamed ex; pictured from left to right: Kristina (Karly’s mom) and her stepdaughter Leah
Many fans of the show took to the comments section to gush over Karly’s resemblance to her mother.
‘Omg she looks like Kristina,’ one Instagram user wrote. Another person agreed and also commented: ‘I thought this was Kristina at first.’
One viewer wrote: ‘Oh, she’s 18 now so she’s allowed to be posted. I love seeing the relationship between you two sisters.’
‘Wow Kristina’s twin!!!’ Another social media user commented: ‘I didn’t know Kristina’s daughter was older than Leah. She looks so much like Kristina.’
‘Oh yay! I was wondering if we’d get to see Kristina’s daughter once she turend 18. I’m so glad her and Leah are close, happy birthday,’ one fan commented.
A different Teen Mom fan added: ‘Happy birthday. You look just like ur momma.’
Kristina is also mother to her 10-year-old daughter Emilee, whom she shares with her husband Gary Shirley, 38.
She also plays the role of stepmother to Leah — Gary’s daughter from his previous relationship with Amber Portwood.
In the comments section, fans raved about seeing the Kristina’s nearly identical daughter for the first time now that Karly is a legal adult
Kristina also plays the role of stepmother to Leah — Gary’s daughter from his previous relationship with Amber Portwood (not pictured)
Gary and Amber’s (not pictured) relationship was captured on 16 and Pregnant when they had Leah as teenagers. Kristina began starring on Teen Mom after she and Gary got married in 2015
Gary and Amber’s relationship was captured on 16 and Pregnant when they had Leah as teenagers.
They also appeared on the spinoffs series, Teen Mom OG and Teen Mom: The Next Chapter.
Kristina began starring on Teen Mom after she and Gary got married in 2015.
Leah is estranged from her mother and one of the main storylines on the hit reality show is about the teenager’s complicated relationship with Amber.
On the show, Gary’s daughter has opened up about how her stepmother Kristina plays the maternal role in her life.
In an August 2024, Leah even shared her wishes of going through the adoption process so Kristina could be her legal guardian in addition to her dad.
Gary and Kristina also share 10-year-old daughter Emilee; pictured from left to right: Kristina, stepdaughter Leah and daughter Emilee
Leah is estranged from her mother and one of the main storylines on the hit reality show is about the teenager’s complicated relationship with Amber Portwood
Many fans of the show took to the comments section to gush over Karly’s resemblance to her mother. ‘Omg she looks like Kristina,’ one Instagram user wrote. Another person agreed and also commented: ‘I thought this was Kristina at first’
One viewer wrote: ‘Oh, she’s 18 now so she’s allowed to be posted. I love seeing the relationship between you two sisters’
‘Wow Kristina’s twin!!!’ Another social media user commented: ‘I didn’t know Kristina’s daughter was older than Leah. She looks so much like Kristina.’
‘Oh yay! I was wondering if we’d get to see Kristina’s daughter once she turend 18. I’m so glad her and Leah are close, happy birthday,’ one fan commented. A different Teen Mom fan added: ‘Happy birthday. You look just like ur momma’
However, her birth mom Amber reportedly objected, so the estranged mother-daughter duo have been working towards mending their relationship, per The U.S. Sun.
On multiple occasions, Amber has also slammed the show and was even speculated to have gotten fired after ranting about the series, vowing to quit, on social media.
Gary and Kristina as well as their kids Leah and Emilee are the only ones who have been shown on Teen Mom — though the long-running MTV show is rumored to be facing cancellation.
The current reiteration of Teen Mom merges the original ‘OG’ cast and the mothers of Teen Mom 2 as they deal with parenthood at different stages of their lives.
Teen Mom: The Next Chapter Season 2B aired earlier this year, picking off where season 2A left off in September 2024.
The season followed the lives of former teen moms with teenagers of their own now.
Amber is one of the Teen Mom OG stars alongside Cheyenne Floyd, Maci Bookout, Catelynn Lowell and Mackenzie McKee — who also starred on Teen Mom 3.
The spinoff, which first premiered in September 2022, also features Teen Mom 2 stars Briana DeJesus, Leah Messer, Ashley Jones and Jade Cline.
