💔 The other side of Bachelor Nation’s biggest breakup. In a move that shocked BN, Matt James took to Instagram, mere hours after the event, to publicly announce his split from Rachael Kirkconnell. Now, we get to hear Rachael’s side of the story…
Read time: 4 minutes | 831 words
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HEADLINES
💔 Matt & Rachael Split: Two Weeks Later
In her first in-depth interview since the split, Rachael reveals the devastating reality behind that cryptic Instagram announcement that left fans reeling.
What seemed like a fairy tale ending has transformed into Bachelor Nation’s most heart-wrenching split of the past year. The shocking end of Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell’s four-year relationship just got a deeper dimension as Rachael opens up about the painful breakup that blindsided her, along with all of Bachelor Nation.
What started as a perfect Tokyo vacation ended in heartbreak. Just days before the breakup, the couple was exploring Japan together, discussing engagement and their future.
“We were literally talking about engagement, marriage, all the things on that trip.”
What began as a minor disagreement over dinner plans escalated into a conversation that would ultimately end their four-year relationship.
The final conversation revealed doubts that had never surfaced during their years together. “He said that at the end of the day, there were just qualities about me that he worries about having in a wife. I don’t think he was planning on doing it. I think it was one of those things where he just came to this realization during our argument.”
The public announcement blindsided Rachael at 30,000 feet. Perhaps most shocking was learning about Matt’s public announcement of their breakup via Instagram while Rachael was boarding a 12-hour flight. “We’re literally getting ready to take off, and my phone blows up,” Rachael recalls, describing how she discovered Matt’s post through a friend’s text.
“I’m freaking out because, you know, I just got broken up with and now a few hours later it’s like for the whole world to see and I’m still trying to process it.”
Looking back, there were signs of an uneven dynamic. When discussing their relationship, Rachael reveals patterns that now seem significant. “My friends definitely said it just seemed like you were always giving 110 percent,” she reflects. “It was like pulling teeth to try and get him to come to a wedding with me and just like little things like that.”
Despite maintaining grace, Rachael is clear about not reconciling. While she speaks of Matt without bitterness, she’s firm about her future:
“I don’t think I can get back together, which is sad… when someone says those things that he said, you know, ‘I don’t think you’re my person, I don’t see us getting married,’ I think that’s when you have to call it quits.”
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If Rachael Kirkconnell has a million fans, I’m one of them. 🫶 @rachael @Call Her Daddy #callherdaddy #rachaelkirkconnell #mattjames #theba… See more
👉 Click here for a quick recap of Rachael’s interview.
Key Revelations:
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The couple was discussing marriage and engagement days before the split
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Matt’s Instagram announcement came just 3 hours after the in-person breakup, before Rachael could tell family and friends, and without giving her a heads up that he was going to make the post
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Matt has called to check in multiple times since the breakup, which Rachael has now asked him to stop doing
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Despite speculation, Rachael firmly denies any cheating occurred during their relationship
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Rachael acknowledges compromising her values at times to support Matt’s goals
The aftermath has been a mixture of public speculation and private healing. Since the breakup, Rachael has been focusing on processing her emotions away from social media. “I definitely felt like there was going to be people celebrating me breaking up with him,” she admits, showing the lingering insecurities from their very public beginning on The Bachelor.
A new chapter begins with self-discovery. While still processing the heartbreak, Rachael is beginning to see potential for personal growth. “It’s kind of fun to tell myself that I can find myself again and get back to just loving me and finding my own confidence,” she reflects, acknowledging that aspects of her self-assurance had diminished during the relationship.
“I think [my self-assurance] has been missing for four years. I’m not saying that’s his fault, but there was probably a lot of stuff that I needed to work through from the show that I never have.”
For now, she’s focused on healing and rediscovering herself outside of the partnership that defined her public identity for four years. And while the fairy tale ending Bachelor Nation hoped for may not have materialized, Rachael’s story might just be beginning. As she puts it, “I have to stand up for myself, even if I don’t want to.”
Go Deeper: Here’s Rachael’s photo dump from their Tokyo trip.
WHAT CAUGHT OUR EYE?
