Real Housewives of Orange County Season 19 Episode 16 Recap

Welcome to The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 19 Episode 16 recap. Last time, Shannon gave Jenn an elegant bridal luncheon. Then, the ladies headed to Amsterdam, where Tamra quickly picked a fight with Shannon. Here’s what happened in RHOC Season 19 Episode 16: “Tulip Service.”

What happened in Real Housewives of Orange County Season 19 Episode 16?

The ladies visited the tulip fields and questioned the authenticity of Jenn and Shannon’s friendship. After Emily finally made peace between Gretchen and Tamra, Gretchen had an emotional realization. And Tamra exposed a disturbing social media post that Gretchen liked, horrifying Gina, Tamra, and Emily.

Tulip fields forever

The morning of their second day in Amsterdam, Heather planned a trip to the tulip fields. But first, she was busy figuring out the ladies’ mushroom dosage. “Heather is absolutely the friend that my mom warned me about in high school,” Gina admitted in her confessional. “And no one would ever suspect it!” Who is this Fancy Pants?! Welp, it is only Gina and Heather who indulge in the truffle mushrooms, preparing to enjoy all the colors of the tulips.

Meanwhile, the RHOC trio discussed how Shannon claimed that Jenn was skipping Alexis Bellino’s wedding of her own free will. However, Jenn told Tamra and Emily she wasn’t attending because Shannon asked her not to go.

Well, the tulips were stunning! And Heather and Gina were hilarious. From running through the tulips to posing with a clog with flowers in it, they were enjoying every moment of their trip. Literally. “You look like a tulip,” Heather told a flower as she touched it.

Then Shannon climbed onto a large plaster horse and pretended to ride it. Meanwhile, Gina brought up her true feelings about Shannon. She was hurt that last year, when she was going through a tough time with her boyfriend, Travis Mullen, Shannon wasn’t there for her.

The fact that Shannon gave Jenn a luncheon to celebrate that she was still engaged annoyed Gina. “This is more about my friendship with Shannon,” Gina admitted in her confessional. “She kind of pushes me away because I’m the one who will hold her accountable.”

Jenn and Shannon’s friendship is questioned in RHOC

Next up was lunch, and Gina asked Jenn about not attending Alexis’ wedding to Shannon’s ex-boyfriend, John Janssen. When Gina mentioned that someone claimed that Shannon “asked her not to go,” Jenn defended Shannon.

“She didn’t ask me not to go,” Jenn stated. As to why Jenn decided not to share in Alexis’s special day? “Because she matters,” Jenn said, gesturing toward Shannon. “I didn’t tell you what to do,” Shannon insisted.

Then Emily was ready to stir the pot. She asked Shannon how she felt about Jenn being friends with Alexis. “I do like Alexis. I’ve told you that,” Jenn said. “I thought you weren’t anymore,” Shannon responded.

“She’s never done anything to me, Shannon,” Jenn replied. So, Shannon fired back. “It’s not easy for me to be friends with someone who I know is close to someone who is really not kind to me,” she stated.

Meanwhile, a still-high Gina blabbed about how Jenn was afraid to tell Shannon that she “didn’t really want that shower. Or whatever it was.”

A shocked Shannon asked Jenn about the bridal luncheon, and Gina chimed in again. “No, she didn’t want the shower. She thought it was ridiculous,” Gina said. Welp, two weeks earlier, Jenn and Gina discussed Shannon’s plan. “Shannon, God, I love her, but why is she having a bridal lunch?” Jenn commented to Gina. Oof.

However, when Gina called Shannon and Jenn’s relationship “a fake friendship,” Shannon was hurt. Finally, Gina confronted Shannon about not being there for her the past year. “And then my family comes back together this year, and maybe that’s something to celebrate,” Gina told Shannon. A confused Jenn wondered what the issue was, aside from Gina wanting a party. So, Emily jumped in and explained that the RHOC ladies feel that Jenn and Shannon’s friendship isn’t “authentic” because Jenn just agrees with Shannon.

Hot tub diplomacy

The RHOC cast went into small boats, which were really a jacuzzi. It’s … weird. Plus, Emily brought each lady a hat with a slogan. And there were some funny ones. “Can I get a diet c*ck?” Gina’s read. In a final, strategic move, Emily rode in the same boat with Tamra and Gretchen. If someone doesn’t end up in the canal, it will be a miracle.

Of course, Tamra had nothing to say to Gretchen, but she was open to listening. “Emily and I talked in the car, and I know you probably won’t be receptive to this, but …” Gretchen began. Right away, Tamra called her out for starting with a negative remark. “Because I messed up and I feel really bad about it, and I shouldn’t have said what I said that night … up in L.A.,” Gretchen explained.

“I thought we agreed to stop,” Tamra replied. When Tamra asked what Gretchen and her fiancé, Slade Smiley’s, intention was at Emily’s fundraiser, Gretchen had a response at the ready. “That was because everyone was saying that you were going around telling them something about Slade,” Gretchen said.

Naturally, Emily played mediator, explaining that Tamra was “hurt” because Gretchen broke their “pact.” And Gretchen admitted that she was wrong, but “felt justified” at the time. Once again, Emily tried to explain the never-ending spiral between Tamra and Gretchen. Finally, Emily got the duo to a point where Gretchen was able to recognize that she was also pouring gasoline on the fire. “That’s the best thing you’ve ever said to me right there,” Tamra stated.

Gretchen is in her feelings

However, right before the ladies left for dinner, Jenn checked on Gretchen, and Gretchers couldn’t stop crying. She was very emotional and planned to come to dinner late. Meanwhile, the ladies were in a huge mall-type food court. However, Tamra was upset that Gretchen didn’t come.

In addition, Heather and Gina told Tamra that for the first time, Gretchen took some accountability. Once Gretchen arrived, the duo started arguing again. Emily reminded them about their pact. As for Gretchen’s crying eyes? “Yes, it was a long time ago, right? But that doesn’t mean that all the feelings and emotions just disappear,” Gretchen explained.

She thinks that all these painful emotions are resurfacing. Then, Gretchen apologized to Tamra for her past behavior again. That made Tamra think that Gretchen wanted more apologies. For Tamra, letting it go means not bringing up the past. Sure!

The next morning, Gina and Emily dissected Gretchen’s behavior. And Gina shared that two weeks earlier, she was at a dispensary with Tamra, and Tamra showed her some “disturbing” social media posts that Gretchen allegedly liked. In a flashback, Tamra, Gina, and Emily discussed it, and Gina wondered if the posts could have been “doctored.”

Then Gina told Emily, “I have a hard time really believing that that is who Gretchen is. It really bothers me.” When Emily asked if she was going to tell Heather, Gina hesitated. “It’s such a real, raw topic, especially for Heather, but I feel like I have to bring it up.”

Meanwhile, Gina is confused about how Gretchen could be “launching hate campaigns on people.” It looks like Gretchen’s transphobic and homophobic social media “likes” are entering the chat. Next week’s Season 19 RHOC finale promises to be explosive.

The Real Housewives of Orange County continues Thursdays at 8/7c on Bravo. It streams on Peacock.

TELL US – WHAT DID YOU THINK OF RHOC SEASON 19 EPISODE 16? WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE AMSTERDAM TRIP SO FAR?