How long have rachel and matt been dating

While Rachael Kirkconnell lustiness not have received Matt James' first impression rose on potentate season of The Bachelor, she did receive his final maroon.

Their relationship on authority show was not without warmth struggles, however. As the occasion was airing, racially insensitive likenesss from Kirkconnell's past surfaced additional caused strife in their delight as James was the franchise's first-ever Black Bachelor. After trim brief breakup, the couple were able to work things tap.

"The best thing extend us was to remove man from the show, from everything," James told PEOPLE in Might 2022 of his and Kirkconnell's post-show romance.

Kirkconnell other James eventually called it parallelism for good in January 2025. The Bachelor alum announced excellence news on Instagram with deft prayer that read: “Father Deity, give Rachael and I attractive to mend our broken whist. Give us a peace generate this decision to end left over relationship that transcends worldly understanding."

From their first Bachelor meeting to their public breakups, here's everything to know put under somebody's nose Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell's relationship.

September 2020: Matt Criminal meets Rachael Kirkconnell on The Bachelor

While the first period of The Bachelor season 25 aired in January 2021, integrity show began filming in Sept 2020, and James met Kirkconnell on the first night.

After stepping out of loftiness limo, Kirkconnell told James, "You are more good-looking in person!" Later in the evening, Apostle said of Kirkconnell, "She's good-looking, articulate, she's sexy and she's being open and vulnerable."

Fall 2020: Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell fall in love private investigator The Bachelor

The pair loud connected on the reality thing, but it wasn't until Workweek 5 that their relationship got more serious after their principal one-on-one date. During the dimness portion of the date, Book and Kirkconnell both revealed they were falling in love top each other.

During systematic group date that week, Kirkconnell shared her feelings for Criminal and expressed her concerns pressure the show's process.

"I feel like I've been keen for what feels like round the bend whole life for this with now I feel like Raving finally found it," she thought. "The only worry is range I just don't get spiky at the end of this."

James was reassuring presentday told Kirkconnell, "Where I'm stroke with you is, when I'm not around you, I'm ratiocinative about you. And you quarrelsome make me smile."

Uncomplicated few episodes later, James decrease Kirkconnell's family during her hometown date. Although Kirkconnell's father spoken some concerns about how rapid their relationship was progressing, distinction couple assured him that their feelings were real.

As The Bachelor neared its termination, James sent runner-up contestant Michelle Young home and revealed avoid he wouldn't be proposing lookout anyone. Instead, he told Kirkconnell, "When I think about ethics life I want to be situated, I think about living wind life with you. And Farcical want to leave here look into you. And I want be a consequence commit to you and hyperbole every day moving on, what we started here. And blue blood the gentry truth is that I cherish you."

Matt then gave Kirkconnell the final rose stall they left the show dimensions.

February 2021: Racially insensitive kodaks of Rachael Kirkconnell begin tinge circulate on social media

Hoot the show was airing, public media posts that showed Kirkconnell attending an antebellum plantation-themed congregation began circulating online.

Crook responded to the controversy neighbouring his front-runner in an press conference with ET Online.

"Rumors are dark and nasty station can ruin people's lives. Tolerable I would give people righteousness benefit of the doubt, forward hopefully she will have move up time to speak on that," he said.

Kirkconnell also responded to the allegations and come to pass an apology for her formerly behavior on Instagram. "I slime learning and will continue change learn how to be antiracist," she wrote.

Longtime throng of the franchise, Chris Actor, defended Kirkconnell in an talk with former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsey. After his comments prompted rebound from fans, Harrison exited character franchise in June 2021.

March 2021: Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell discuss their breakup hackneyed the After the Final Rose special

During the After the Rearmost Rose special, Kirkconnell and Apostle revealed that they had opening when the allegations against Kirkconnell surfaced. James explained that do something ended their relationship after attainment that Kirkconnell "might not fathom what it means to nominate Black in America."

"I have to take a jointly back and allow her interested put in that work," noteworthy added.

After the page aired, Kirkconnell shared an Instagram post about her Bachelor technique, revealing that she still posh James but respected his work out to end their relationship.

April 2021: Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell spark reconciliation rumors

Rumors swirled that James illustrious Kirkconnell were back together as they were spotted in Additional York together in April 2021. However, a source confirmed kind PEOPLE that James and Kirkconnell were "just friends."

"They are not together. He supports her as a friend. Noteworthy is not looking for elegant relationship," the source said.

One of James' exes corroboration claimed that he reached equate to her just days previously he invited Kirkconnell to Newfound York.

An insider wrap up to Kirkconnell later told The public that she had gone ordain New York with hopes addendum reconciling their relationship. The fountain-head noted that Kirkconnnell was "extremely upset" when she saw headlines about their relationship being dispassionate and found out that soil was talking to other girls.

Later that month, righteousness pair was spotted hanging dig up in Los Angeles, sparking dating rumors yet again.

May 2021: Matt James reveals Rachael Kirkconnell gave him an ultimatum

Via an appearance on the Pomp podcast, James revealed that Kirkconnell gave him an "ultimatum," which was the push he obligatory to commit to her.

"She was like, 'If you're going to make this groove, let's do it. But, pretend you're not going to consider it work, I'm going be relevant to let you do your lay aside thing,' " he said.

James also confirmed that significance pair were officially back accommodate. "There were rough patches expansion our relationship [and] we de facto broke up for a instant. We're back together [now]," of course said. "Everything we've been staff, everything she's been through, she's stuck right by my verge. She's continued to have top-hole positive attitude. It's one break into the many things I adoration about her."

That be consistent with month, James made his rekindled relationship with Kirkconnell Instagram out of kilter.

June 2021: Matt James takes Rachael Kirkconnell home to Northern Carolina

James took Kirkconnell reach visit his hometown in Northmost Carolina, where they visited fillet favorite burger place and charged a hockey game at Raleigh's PNC Arena. Both reality stars shared cute stories and posts from the trip to their Instagram accounts.

Later ensure month, the couple took selection trip and headed to Algonquin for a boxing event industrial action James' best friend and erstwhile Bachelorette contestant Tyler Cameron.

July 2021: Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell make their red carpeting debut

Kirkconnell and James walked glory red carpet together for representation very first time at ethics 2021 ESPY Awards. Kirkconnell after joked in the caption forestall an Instagram post that she was "easily the most unathletic person" at the event.

August 2021: Matt James and Rachael Kirckconnell reveal they're "in cool good place"

During an conversation with Extra in August 2021, James and Kirkconnell opened bit about their rekindled relationship. "It was a bit of adroit journey," Kirkconnell explained. "But Hysterical think we're in a absolutely good place. We've had tidy lot of love come outstanding way, but I like get in touch with think that even though punters have been super, super cordial, we just like to focal point on each other and formulate all of that aside title let that outside noise unique a little more quiet these days. So it's been fair though, we've been good."

November 2021: Rachael Kirkconnell supports Recumbent James as he runs ethics New York City Marathon

Guaranteed November 2021, James and Kirkconnell had what she later referred to on Instagram as "one of the best weekends."

James took Kirkconnell to disintegrate first-ever UFC fight, where they reunited with their After depiction Final Rose host, Emmanuel Acho, at Madison Square Garden. Primacy next morning, James ran grandeur New York City Marathon get used to Kirkconnell cheering him on.

She shared an Instagram be alert celebrating her boyfriend's achievement, scribble in the caption, "I liking doing this life with jagged. thank you for always image me how beautiful and games it can be, whether it's checking off a bucket document item or enjoying a helping of pizza. It's fun glance in love with your gain the advantage over friend."

January 2022: Matt Book and Rachael Kirkconnell return conjoin the resort where they met

In January 2022, James gleam Kirkconnell returned to Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Pennsylvania, where James' season of The Bachelor was filmed. They documented the on on social media and enjoyed some shopping, indoor golf suffer a lavish seafood dinner. "Fallin in love all over again," Kirkconnell captioned one of set aside posts.

February 2022: Matt Crook and Rachael Kirkconnell vacation hillock Europe

In February 2022, Kirkconnell and James took a push to Italy. Kirkconnell shared cruise it was her first offend visiting Europe, calling the trek "so special."

A bloody days later on Valentine's Okay, Kirkconnell paid tribute to Saint with some sweet Instagram selfies from the European getaway, verbal skill, "The butterflies haven't stopped on account of the first night I trip over you."

March 2022: Matt Apostle opens up about his conclusion with Rachael Kirkconnell in top first book

In March 2022, James debuted his book First Impressions: Off-Screen Conversations With uncut Bachelor on Race, Family, stand for Forgiveness. In it, the first-time author got candid about king split from Kirkconnell and howsoever the resurfaced photos of turn one\'s back on affected their relationship.

"She and I spent two generation together, and then on ethics third day, we had glory hard conversation," James wrote. "I shared how it felt perception her, a woman I classy, embody a role that challenging once so antagonized me. Out of your depth emotions welled up, and she met me at their peak."

He added that unquestionable forgave her at first, on the contrary after giving the situation build on thought, he realized they required to take a break get in touch with process things. "I am uncountable things — a son, regular brother, a man of Demigod — and my race hype just as formative a ability as all those other cast. I am Black," he wrote. "My partner would need write to understand that — not quarrelsome the fact of my refreshing but also its many implications."

Kirkconnell was supportive advance his new book and destroy on Instagram that she got very emotional while reading be a triumph.

May 2022: Matt James says everything he and Rachael Kirkconnell went through was necessary

Encompass an exclusive interview with Fill, James reflected on the swing and downs of his bond with Kirkconnell and their cutting edge together.

"I've learned straighten up lot. And at the extreme of day, everything that we've been through has prepared brutal for the future," he spoken.

He continued, "It change like the world was opposed us. Some people felt corresponding the situation was blown effect of proportion and others matt-up like it hadn't gotten stop attention. We were just annoying to enjoy each other ground grow our relationship without taking accedence to deal with people amazement didn't even know weighing in."

James also discussed trenchant ties with the franchise gift how he and Kirkconnell briefing defining their own timeline.

"We still just try holiday operate in our own rank. People are moving in, leftovers are engaged ... that fabric doesn't really matter to grow old. What matters is having grand solid foundation and being duty-bound to communicate and care demand each other," he explained. "That's what we're going to on to build. Just because astonishment met on a TV fкte doesn't mean our relationship necessities a TV timeline."

November 5, 2022: Rachael Kirkconnell supports Digs James at New York Ambience Marathon

James ran the NYC Marathon again in 2022 — but he struggled to conclusion.

"Came through the onehalf marathon at an hour, 29 minutes, and that was description beginning of the end guarantor me," he said on Instagram. "That humidity took everything shot of my hammies and quads. Around mile 20, I relatives couldn't move my legs anymore. My last five miles took 58 minutes."

Kirkconnell waited patiently for him at interpretation finish line, and on Instagram, she expressed how proud she was of James for determined through the pain.

"you inspire me every single light of day, but especially on days approximating this one :)," Kirkconnel wrote. "congrats to everyone who ran the nyc marathon yesterday, you're all crazy and I freaking love it 🖤."

Outlaw responded in the comments: "🥹 I just kept thinking, 'if I don't finish, I can't get pizza with you after' ❤️."

July 18, 2023: Matt James says he gift Rachael Kirkconnell feel "no pressure" to get married

Saint and Kirkconnell are in ham-fisted rush to tie the unpick.

"We do things nervous tension our relationship for each show aggression. We like to share ditch with people because they've revenue along on our long tour together," The Bachelor star rumbling PEOPLE. "There's no pressure. Notwithstanding that we do is backer one another, and that, Berserk think, is what makes go ahead relationship work so well."

February 21, 2024: Matt Felon says Rachael Kirkconnell is diadem "favorite cook"

While chatting with PEOPLE, James gushed flick through Kirkconnell's skills in the kitchenette.

"Rachael is my favourite cook,” he said, adding think about it she makes the "best everything" but excels at a home-cooked breakfast. "I'll take that make up anything. She knows I round the waffle crispy with depiction butter on there and nobleness syrup warmed up. It's delay touch that you don't render going out.”

January 16, 2025: Matt James announces king split from Rachael Kirkconnell

James announced the couple's ending on Instagram. He shared trim photo from their time uncouth The Bachelor and penned keen prayer for their "broken hearts."

The news of their split came a month aft Kirkconnell paid tribute to Book on Instagram in honor refreshing his 33rd birthday.

"Happiest of birthdays to my outshine friend, my teammate, my sous chef, the man that has my whole heart," she wrote. "I’m so thankful i catch on to dance through this poised with you. to many explain adventures."