On January 26, Instagram gossip account DeuxMoi posted a message from a fan that read, “just left my apartment in kips bay [New York] and walked past matt james and rachael kirkconnell.”
Bachelor alum Rachael wasted no time shutting down the rumor with the comment, “hmm wasn’t me lol.”
On January 16, Matt announced their split on Instagram. The former NCAA football player asked God for “strength … peace …. kindness [and] love” to heal his and Rachael’s “broken hearts.” Does God follow Instagram?
Was Rachael “blindsided” after four years with the former Bachelor?
Rachael made her feelings clear about the breakup by “liking” a fan’s comment that she’d been “blindsided.”
“The more I’m thinking about it the more I think he completely blindsided her with this,” wrote the fan. “Give her some grace and let her respond in her own time.”
Though some members of Bachelor Nation expressed shock over the breakup, were they really? It’s sad, but Matt and Rachael had been together for four years with no sign of an engagement. Reportedly, she was ready to move their relationship to the next level, but Matt was the one dragging his feet.
Others found the split surprisingly sudden. Matt had been posting pictures of Rachael alongside messages of love for her less than 24 hours before the breakup.
Everything between Matt and Rachael seemed fine … until it wasn’t
Rachael’s sister Trinity Kirkconnell also smelled something fishy. She claimed her sister and Matt were “still together” when he was replying to comments on Instagram. When another fan asked if they were broken up “less than 15 hours before he announced” their split, Trinity claimed it was just “3 hours.”
Even more confusing, Matt was still posting content from his and Rachael’s trips to London and Aspen just days before their split.
Additionally, one of Rachael’s most recent Instagram posts was a birthday montage she made for Matt. On December 5, she made the loving post calling him her “best friend” and “teammate.”
Matt and Rachael met on Season 25 of The Bachelor in 2021. Though Rachael received his final rose, Matt opted out of the show’s customary engagement. They decided just to date for a while and see how it went.
At one point, the couple split due to backlash Rachael received when photos surfaced of her participating in an Antebellum-themed party in college. However, they reunited a few months later.
The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8/7c on ABC and the following day on Disney+.
TELL US – WERE YOU SURPRISED BY MATT AND RACHAEL’S BREAKUP? DO YOU THINK THEY’LL GET BACK TOGETHER OR ARE THEY DONE?
