I'm not really a Carole apologiser but recently she had press releases featuring her which mentioned she was the widow of Anthony Radziwill and widow of the cousin of JFK Junior and she politely asked if that could be removed, and they threw in something about RHONY instead. She brings it up, I don't feel she milks it.
They may not have cut back the episodes if there aren't many breaks in between now and July, when they film the reunion.