I’m sorry, WHAT? Four years after meeting and falling in love on Season 25 of The Bachelor alum Matt James and season winner Rachael Kirkconnell, have officially split. James shared this news via Instagram on Jan. 16. “Father God, give Rachael and I strength to mend our broken hearts. Give us a peace about this decision to end our relationship that transcends worldly understanding,” he captioned a photo of him and Kirkconnell meeting for the first time on The Bachelor. “Shower our friends and family with kindness and love to comfort us. And remind us that our Joy comes from you, Lord 💔.”
As fans might know James is in London with Kirkconnell, which makes the news of their split so shocking. After learning of their break up, many people have the same question: Why? Here’s what we know so far about James and Kirkconnell’s split.
As of Jan. 16, it’s unclear why James and Kirkconnell broke up. The pair met on Season 25 of The Bachelor where Kirkconnell won James’s season and eventual heart. They continued to date outside of the show, but after being caught amid a major scandal in 2021, when photos of Kirkconnell attending an Antebellum-themed party in college surfaced, the pair broke up.
Months later, James and Kirkconnell rekindled their relationship, sharing that they both had healed and wanted to continue to grow together in a PEOPLE interview. Their relationship seemed picture-perfect as fans watched the pair travel the world together, try different foods, and make onlookers feel like a part of their relationship.
Then, hope struck when the possibility of an engagement was brought up. While speaking with PEOPLE in February 2024, James shared that dating was never the end goal for him and Kirkconnell and that a proposal was in their future. “We wouldn’t be together if that wasn’t the same goal,” he said. “I’m definitely excited for what the future looks like with us.”
Yes, a proposal was potentially underway, and with this in mind on top of the break up news, many people are gagged.
This news definitely comes as a *major* shock and I can only hope they’re both healing in whatever way they can.