Dolores Catania revealed that she and boyfriend David Principe had called it quits on “The Real Housewives of New Jersey.” Dolores later explained David “was married to his job” as a doctor, per Bravo. “Since [David]’s smart enough to know he can change, and I’m smart enough to know that I want a little more, it’s not something that’s sustainable,” she explained. For Dolores, commitment was something David just could not give her.
David’s commitment issues were something “RHONJ” fans were well aware of, as Dolores fretted over his distance while talking to her mother in a 2021 episode. “Everything in life he can handle,” Dolores said of David. “He can handle things that most doctors can’t handle; you talk about a relationship, the guy ran out of the room.” Although he bought Dolores a home and a car, and developed a close relationship with her kids, David wasn’t in it for a marriage. Even Dolores’ ex, Frank Catania, called out David’s hesitancy on an “RHONJ” episode in 2019, saying, “I don’t feel too optimistic that David and Dolores are on the same page. If Dolores doesn’t push the issue, David’s gonna sit in the middle of the fence.”
Frank ultimately predicted David and Dolores’ future. “She gave her all but didn’t get the same from David,” a source told Us Weekly, confirming their breakup. The insider also cited time apart as Dolores’ biggest reason for calling things off.