Raquel Leviss made a not-so-subtle change to her social media presence in the wake of her affair with Tom Sandoval.
Eagle-eyed TikTok users noticed on Monday, July 17, that Raquel, 28, updated both her display name and handle on the platform to “Rachel Leviss” following rumors that she would be reverting to her given name. Her Instagram account, meanwhile, appears to be unchanged.
Raquel gained a following after making her Vanderpump Rules debut in 2016 during season 5 alongside then-boyfriend James Kennedy. The couple’s engagement — and subsequent breakup — was documented throughout the Bravo hit.
After more than five years on the series, Raquel became a major player during season 10 — but her offscreen behavior is what really made headlines. In March, Us Weekly confirmed that Sandoval, 41, and Ariana Madix called it quits after nearly a decade of dating due to his months-long affair with Raquel.
The cheating scandal’s fallout was the main focus of a newly shot season finale and the three-part reunion special, which concluded in June. Lala Kent, Tom Schwartz and more cast members declared their loyalty to either Ariana, 38, or Sandoval — and ruthlessly went after Raquel — in the aftermath of the affair.
Raquel, for her part, attempted to defend herself and her relationship with Sandoval in front of her costars during the reunion. “A lot of people make mistakes,” she asserted. “You can say that about anybody in this room.”
In a heated on-camera exchange, Lala, 32, and Raquel debated the merit of their respective nicknames, with Lala asserting that abbreviating her name from “Lauren” is different than Raquel — born Rachel — using a new name entirely. Lala went on to tell her costar she should be “mentally evaluated.” (Raquel went on to check herself into a facility to seek professional help as the backlash continued.)
Raquel’s persona continued to be a point of contention for Lala during a June appearance on The View. When Joy Behar and her cohosts questioned the “phony” tactic, Lala shed light on the alleged origins of Raquel’s name.
“Her name is Rachel,” she explained. “She asked her mom if she could change it when she was 5 because there was a prima ballerina that lived across the street named Raquel. So, identity issues have been happening for a long time.”
Later that month, Lala confessed that she “felt dirty” after watching how Raquel was treated during the reunion. “It’s a reality TV show — I feel like we’re all, kind of, playing the same game, but when I watched that, I was like, ‘Oh, we’re maybe dealing with someone who maybe shouldn’t be on this type of platform,'” she told TMZ. “It can be rough.”
While production has kicked off for season 11 of Pump Rules, Raquel’s involvement remains up in the air. Producers “have remained committed to supporting Raquel’s treatment” as she prepares to leave the mental health facility, a source exclusively told Us last month. “Both sides are hoping they can work something out so that Raquel gets the treatment she needs, and she’s still able to be included in the show.”
