Rachael Kirkconnell Gushed Over Matt James Having 'My Whole Heart' in Last Post Before Split

Rachael Kirkconnell was gushing over Matt James just one month before their sudden split.

In her most recent Instagram post from Dec. 5, Kirkconnell wished James a happy birthday with a heartfelt message and a montage of their memories together. The lengthy caption showed no signs of trouble in paradise, with Kirkconnell expressing her love for her then-boyfriend.

“happiest of birthdays to my best friend, my teammate, my sous chef, the man that has my whole heart,” she wrote. “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,” she concluded. “to many more adventures, happy birthday my pumpkin ♡.”

In the comments section, Kirkconnell added: “EVERYONE PLEASE WISH @mattjames919 A HAPPY BIRTHDAYYYYY love you baby”

Related: Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell's Relationship Timeline

James had also been posting the pair’s travels in the week leading up to the breakup, even sharing a video with Kirkconnell eating at a London pizza joint just 12 hours before. In the voiceover, he said he "had to bring" his girlfriend with him "for her to experience some of the best pizza I've ever had."

The following day, on Jan. 16, he shocked followers by announcing their split.

“Father God, give Rachael and I strength to mend our broken hearts,” he wrote alongside a photo of the two meeting on The Bachelor in 2020.

He followed it with a prayer: "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 💔."

Related: Matt James Was Posting from Romantic London Vacation with Rachael Kirkconnell Hours Before Shocking Split Announcement

The pair’s fans have expressed confusion over the news, going to Kirkconnell’s Instagram page after James shut off his comments.

“Yall better be playing a prank bc I can’t handle yall breaking up 😭,” one user wrote.

Another commented: “Tell me it’s not true ☹️🫶🏼”

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James gave Kirkconnell his final rose on his season of the ABC dating show in 2020, but the two broke up after photos of her attending an antebellum plantation-themed party surfaced online. They announced their split at the time on After the Final Rose, but later rekindled their relationship, with James telling PEOPLE in 2022 that it "felt like the world was against us" when they got back together.

"We were just trying to enjoy each other and grow our relationship without having to deal with people we didn't even know weighing in," he said of the "crazy" series of events that followed his season.

At the beginning of 2024, James discussed his plans to propose to Kirkconnell during another interview with PEOPLE, saying he was "definitely excited for what the future looks like."

"We wouldn't be together if that wasn't the same goal,” he said when asked about an engagement. "It is going to be something special because Rachael's very special."

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