What Really Happened With Matt James and Rachel Kirkconnell? – The Cut

Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commissionWell, we’ve got another inevitable Bachelor breakup on our hands, and this one has it all: vague prayers to the “Lord,” a sketchy timeline, and drama in the comment section. Bring on the mess. On Thursday, former Bachelor Matt James announced in a shock Instagram post that he and girlfriend Rachael Kirkconnell are going their separate ways. You might remember James from the 25th season of the reality series: The now-33-year-old was the first Black Bachelor in franchise history, and Kirkconnell, the recipient of his final rose, was later forced to apologize for her “racist” past. A total success. Anyway, the couple briefly separated after that little controversy in 2021, but got back together a month later and had been together ever since, until James’s ominous breakup post hit feeds this week.A post shared by Matt James (@mattjames919)“Father God, give Rachael and I strength to mend our broken hearts,” James wrote. “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,” he added. “And remind us that our Joy comes from you, Lord 💔.”A post shared by Matt James (@mattjames919)James tagged Kirkconnell in the post and disabled comments, which quickly prompted fans to search the couple’s digital footprint for answers as to what really went down. The first observation? James had posted a video of him and Kirkconnell looking mostly functional while filming each other eating pizza in London earlier that day. Over on TikTok, Redditors clocked that James had also responded to a comment about the food at their future “wedding,” writing, “sushi, cookie station, pizza truck, etc etc!”A post shared by Rachael Kirkconnell (@rachaelkirkconnell)If the timing of all this sounds a little fishy, Kirkconnell seems to agree. The 28-year-old has not yet commented on James’s breakup announcement, but she last posted on Instagram on December 5, wishing James a happy birthday and calling him her “pumpkin” and “sous chef.” There were zero signs of trouble in paradise, and, as one follower noted, “The more I’m thinking about it, the more I think he completely blindsided her with this.” Kirkconnell liked this comment, which makes me think there’s more to this story than just a breakup that “transcends worldly understanding.” Here’s hoping Kirkconnell drops a dishy podcast episode à la Brianna Chickenfry. The people don’t want any more reviews of “roast marshmallow matcha lattes” — they want the truth!By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us.Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commission

Source: http://www.thecut.com/article/did-matt-james-blindside-rachel-kirkconnell-breakup.html