All About Candiace Dillard Bassett's Mom Dorothy Watts

Dorothy Watts might as well be a cast member on The Real Housewives of Potomac.

The world first glimpsed “The Diva Dorothy,” as she goes by on her Instagram, in Season 3 when her daughter Candiace Dillard Bassett made her debut on the show.

In addition to occasionally providing financial support to Candiace, Dorothy is deeply involved in her daughter’s personal life, which has led to some fireworks with the cast throughout the years — especially with Candiace’s husband, Chris Bassett. Whatever your opinion of Dorothy’s hands-on parenting approach, the mother-daughter dynamic is always the topic of conversation. 

Five years on, Dorothy is still living up to her “diva” nickname and has become an honorary Real Housewife. Who is this 63-year-old dynamo? Read on to find out.

RELATED: Candiace Dillard Bassett Gives an Update on Her Relationship with Her Mom

Dorothy Watts' Marriages and Children

Though Candiace’s parents divorced long ago, the Housewife shared on the show that Dorothy and her dad, Walter, were “first loves.” While dating in college, Walter had fathered Candiace’s half-brother Michael in a “tryst” with another woman, but he and Dorothy weathered the storm and stayed married for several years after, having three children together. Candiace’s half-brother Michael was estranged from her and her family growing up, so there was some tension when she invited him to her wedding.

“I get why this subject of my brother is so contentious with my mom,” Candiace explained to RHOP audiences. “The love of her life betrayed her. That’s not lost on me. What is lost on me is the fact that you’re not able to place those emotions and deal with them 30-plus years later.”

Dorothy found love again, however, with her husband, Dr. Ronald Watts, an endocrinologist who received his medical degree from Howard University. Though the couple keeps things private, in the photos she posts on social media, Dorothy is all smiles around Ronald. They married in August 2018 after having been together at least since 1999. In a sweet flashback post on Instagram, Dorothy wrote, “Christmas 1999 and Christmas 2018. And the beat goes on.”

RELATED: Candiace Dillard Bassett's Mom Has Lots of Opinions on the Decor in Her New House

Dorothy Watts' Education and Career

There's so much to say about this small, black purse!

Dorothy paid for Candiace’s six-figure wedding, so she clearly has found success in her own right. A graduate of Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Dorothy is a proud “Tiger,” often posting about her “Stillman College Family” and the fun times she had back in the day as a Delta Sigma Theta sorority sister. In September 2023, she gushed in an Instagram caption, “October 26, 1979. Stillman College. 44 years in this illustrious Sorority!!”

After earning another degree from Southern University in 1994, Dorothy went on to become a licensed social worker and therapist in the Atlanta area. According to her profile on Psychology Today, she specializes in job stress counseling, the Family and Medical Leave ACT (FMLA), and short and long-term disability. “My goal is to help you uncover your true potential and lead a life that is worth celebrating,” her bio reads.

The vivacious 63-year-old is taking her own advice, living life to the fullest, and establishing lucrative, fulfilling careers in entertainment and health care.

"My mom loves attention. She loves the spotlight. She loves being out and about and being seen and heard and observed, so she's loved that part of it," Candiace told the Daily Dish about her time on RHOP. "She has sort of taken issue with the way that fans respond to her, calling her overbearing or saying that she's bossy or telling the truth, whatever." With so many accomplishments under her belt, we're confident that whatever Season 8 brings, Dorothy will take it in stride.

The Real Housewives of Potomac premieres on Bravo for Season 8 on Sunday, November 5 at 8/7c with a supersized premiere. New episodes will be available to stream on Peacock.