Rachael Kirkconnell Felt ‘Blindsided’ and ‘Humiliated’ by Matt James’ Breakup Post Amid ‘Heated’ Split

The Bachelor star Matt James ‘blindsides’ Rachael Kirkconnell with Instagram breakup announcement, leaving her ‘humiliated’.

Matt James broke the news with a photo capturing the first moment he and Rachael locked eyes on the popular ABC dating show.

Here’s the caption Matt James shared alongside the photo of him and Rachael together.

“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. Shower our friends and family with kindness and love to comfort us. And remind us that our Joy comes from you, Lord 💔”

The post reportedly ‘blindsided’ Rachael and her family, with a source telling The U.S. Sun, ‘She’s humiliated that this is how the news came out.’

The insider continued, ‘She had no idea he was going to do that and definitely wouldn’t have approved if she had.’

Those close to Rachael are reportedly ‘confused and still trying to figure out what happened,’ while also prioritizing ‘supporting her and making sure she’s okay.’

“They didn’t know they were fully broken up. Rachael is being pretty quiet right now but I know she was blindsided by Matt’s post.

“And she thinks it’s just as weird as everyone else does, she’s humiliated that’s how the news came out,” the insider said. 

Just hours before Matt’s breakup post, he was actively commenting on TikTok videos about how ‘gorgeous’ Rachael is, discussing the type of ring he wanted to propose with, and even sharing ideas about the food for their wedding.

Here’s another comment Rachael liked on her Instagram post for Matt’s birthday, which confirms she was blindsided by his breakup announcement

Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell, who met during Season 25 of “The Bachelor,” have ended their relationship after four years together. James announced the split on Instagram, sharing a heartfelt message seeking strength and peace for both during this time.

Rachael Kirkconnell has yet to comment publicly on the breakup, but her most recent Instagram post was a heartfelt birthday tribute to Matt James. In the post, she expressed deep affection and gratitude for their relationship, writing:

“Happiest of birthdays to my best friend, my teammate, my sous chef, the man that has my whole heart. You fill it (and my tummy) with so much love and laughter, and I’m so thankful I get to dance through this life with you. Thank you for your never-ending love and support and smooches and snuggles. To many more adventures, happy birthday my pumpkin ♡”

As recently as February 2024, Matt James expressed a hopeful outlook on his relationship with Rachael Kirkconnell. In an interview with PEOPLE, he shared that engagement was still a goal for their future but emphasized the importance of moving at a pace that felt right for both of them.

“It’s about doing whatever you’re doing at your own pace, whether that’s the relationship, your job, exercise,” he told PEOPLE at the time. “If you do things that other people want you to do and you don’t consider y’all’s feelings, then I think that is a recipe for disaster.”

Their breakup comes as a surprise to many fans, especially given the couple’s previous optimism about their future.

“the more i dig into his tik toks and read comments that he posted literally within the last few days, the weirder it gets,” a fan commented.

“This is the worst break up caption I’ve ever seen in my life and I have seen plenty”

“And this was just 10 hours ago,” a fan commented.

“Guessing this means that the next girl gets a proposal within a year, as usual,” another fan commented.