Mia Thornton Announces RHOP Exit After 4 Seasons as She Moves to Atlanta: 'The Empire Is Expanding'

Mia Thornton is heading in a new direction.

The 40-year-old Real Housewives of Potomac star announced on Monday, April 21 that she has "made the decision to relocate to Atlanta" with her family and therefore "will not be returning to The Real Housewives of Potomac next season."

Thornton called it a "new beginning" in a lengthy Instagram post as she called her four seasons on the show "an unforgettable journey...filled with growth, lessons, and so many incredible memories."

She also called out Andy Cohen individually, as she thanked him and Bravo for "believing in me and giving me the space to share my story."

"To my castmates: thank you for the laughs, the lessons, and the unforgettable moments," she continued. "And to the amazing fans, your love and support has meant everything to me. I’ll always carry that with me."

Thornton teased that "big things are coming" despite the exit news as she wrote, "This next chapter is already full of exciting opportunities, and I can’t wait to take you all along for the ride."

"I don’t just make headlines — I make History. Atlanta, brace yourself. The empire has expanded. #LegacyInTheMaking."

Thornton's exit comes after she stormed out of the season 9 RHOP reunion, which aired in March, after her costar Gizelle Bryant told her she'd "acted" like a "terrible mother" on the show's latest season.

"And I stand by that. No woman, no mother, would put their child on a platform to discuss their paternity. No mother would do that. No mother!" Bryant said, referring to how Thornton conducted a DNA test of her youngest son, Juliana, 7, on the show to see if he was actually the son of her then-boyfriend Incognito, instead of her estranged husband Gordon Thornton.

Once Bryant brought Thornton's kids into the conversation, she got off the couch and walked off, yelling. "Not my kids!" she said.

"I should have never put myself in the position to have anybody question my motherhood," she then told a producer, who asked if she was just taking a break from the reunion.

"No, I'm leaving," she said, as she changed out of her outfit and left the studio in tears.