Rachael Kirkconnell and Matt Blake
ABC/Craig SjodinRachael Kirkconnell she reacted subtly to speculation surrounding her recent split Matt James.
In the comments of her last Instagram post in December 2024, one social media user theorized Kirkconnell’s reaction to James’ declaration of a religious breakup.
“The more I think about it, the more I think he completely blindsided her with this,” the fan wrote on Thursday, January 16. “Give her some grace and let her answer in her own time.”
Kirkconnell, 28, subtly left a “like” on the message but offered no further comment. The source is now speaking Us Weekly that Kirkconnell was not blinded by the split itself but James’ statement and post.
Former Bachelors Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell have called it quits four years after finding love on The Bachelor. “Father God, give Rachael and me the strength to heal our broken hearts. Come to terms with this decision to end our relationship that surpasses this world’s understanding,” wrote 33-year-old James on Instagram with a photo (…)
A few hours earlier, James (33) confirmed that the couple had called it quits.
“Father God, give Rachael and me the strength to heal our broken hearts,” James she captioned the image on Instagram from their time onwards Bachelor. “Give us peace (sic) about this decision to end our relationship that transcends worldly understanding. Shower our friends and family with kindness and love to comfort us. And remind us that our joy comes from you, Lord 💔.”
Rachael Kirkconnell and Matt James
Alexander Tamargo/Getty ImagesJames didn’t elaborate on what led to the breakup, but turned off his social media comments on the broadcast. A few days earlier, he and Kirkconnell had been a joint trip to London and uploaded content from their culinary adventures.
Kirkconnell was James’ last choice Bachelor season 25, which was filmed in 2020. They briefly broke up after the finale when Kirkconnell’s past racially insensitive social media posts resurfaced online only to reconcile a month after the live taping After the Final Rose special.
Bachelor Nation is having a hard time accepting Matt James, and Rachael Kirkconnell really quit. The 33-year-old former bachelor announced the split in the early hours of Thursday, January 16, writing: “Father God, give Rachael and I the strength to heal our broken hearts. Give us peace about this decision so that it ends (…)
James and Kirkconnell continued to split for another three years, often being open about their hesitancy to get engaged.
“I feel like when you feel pressure, it’s when you don’t want to do something,” James exclusively said Us Weekly in June 2024. “So I’ve never really felt pressure (to get engaged) because it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. That’s something we’ll do at some point. That’s why we’re together and what we’re working on. I am excited about our future.”
Four months later, James hinted that a proposal was the “next step” after Kirkconnell chose the engagement ring she liked best.
“I feel like that’s definitely something we want. I have his time,” Kirkconnell said during a joint performance on the “De-Influenced” podcast in October 2024. “My problem is that I definitely have to find a ring that I like and everything, but it’s up to him at that point. … That’s the problem, I don’t even know what I want.”