Former Bachelor and Bachelorette Winners: Where Are They Now?

Credit: ABC

Rachel Kirkconnell

While Matt chose not to propose to Rachel in the finale, which aired in March 2021, they left the show as a couple. The the two had secretly split up, however, in February 2021, after she was accused of racism, and photos of her attending a preschool-themed party at a college plantation resurfaced. Rachel apologized twice for her actions via Instagram before sitting down with Matt and the guest host Emmanuel Acho during After the Final Rose.

“When he first asked me to end things, my initial reaction was that I was very confused. I was very blindsided,” Rachel said on the special. “But when that initial reaction wore off, I thought about how strong I thought our relationship was. So for him to end things, it was very, very hurtful to him. It was hard because I lost the love of my life.”

After they were spotted together in April 2021, Matt and Rachel confirmed to May that they were giving romance another chance. The duo exclusively narrated We in July 2023 that they are used to speculation about them breaking up again.

“I think we've been through so much at this point that nothing really fazes us. I get it — because we're together so much, so whenever our schedules don't line up or we have our own things going on, I understand where you're coming from people are coming,” Rachel said.

Matt, on the other hand, admitted that even his mom tends to worry about the status of their relationship.

“I'll come home and if Rachel isn't with me, my mom's like, 'What happened?' Where's Rachel?'' he said We. “I thought, 'She had to go home to see her family!' She has a mom and dad, brother and sister (in Atlanta).