Matt James Posted Romantic London Vacation With Rachael Kirkconnell Hours Before Shocking Split Announcement

Hours before announcing their split, Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell appeared to be enjoying a couples getaway in London.

In the early hours of Thursday, January 16, the former Bachelor, 33, revealed that he and his girlfriend of four years had split in a shocking Instagram post.

He shared a photo of the two encounters on the show in 2020 with a prayer, writing: “Father God, give Rachael and I the strength to mend our broken hearts. Give us peace over this decision to end our relationship that transcends the understanding of the world. Give our friends and family kindness and love to comfort us and remind us that our Joy comes from You, Lord 💔.

The breakup particularly surprised fans given that James had posted a video with Kirkconnell, 28, enjoying a meal at a London pizzeria just 12 hours before.

Related: Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell’s Relationship Timeline

In a voiceover, he said he once visited the pizzeria alone and “had to bring” his girlfriend with him “so she could try one of the best pizzas I’ve ever had eaten.”

James’ other two most recent posts also come from his trip with Kirkconnell to London, including a round-up of the city’s “best matcha lattes,” a visit to a burger restaurant, and dinner at a bar to sushi handroll, which he said was “by far the best sushi the couple had in London.

It’s possible that James was late in sharing the messages and the trip ended early, but the timing created more confusion about the nature of their breakup.

Kirkconnell hadn’t posted about her trip to London, but her last Instagram post was a loving tribute for her boyfriend’s birthday.

Calling James “my best friend, my teammate, my sous chef, the man who has my whole heart,” Kirkconnell shared a compilation of the couple’s sweet moments in a video.

“I’m so grateful to be able to dance through life with you. Thank you for your endless love and support, your kisses and hugs. Here’s to many more adventures, happy birthday my pumpkin,” she wrote.

After a meeting on The Bachelor In 2020, James gave Kirkconnell her final rose and the couple called it quits for the season, but when photos of her attending an antebellum plantation-themed party surfaced online, controversy broke out and the two men separated.

They rekindled their relationship after announcing their separation on After the Final Rose and, in 2022, James told PEOPLE that “it felt like the world was against us” when they got back together. “We were just trying to enjoy each other and develop our relationship without having to deal with people we didn’t even know,” he said of the “crazy” series of events that followed his season.

Related: Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell Aren’t Feeling “Pressure” About Their Relationship. Comments: It’s ‘easy for us now’ (Exclusive)

This time last year, James told PEOPLE that he was “really excited about what the future would look like” with Kirkconnell as he discussed his proposal plans.

“We wouldn’t be together if it wasn’t for the same goal,” he said when asked about his future engagement. “It’s going to be something special because Rachael is very special.”

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After the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon, which James ran, the couple also seemed more in love than ever, as they were stopped by a viral social media account, meetcutesnyc, and gushed about each other.

“She’s my best friend. She’s my biggest advocate. There’s nothing she wouldn’t do for me,” James said of Kirkconnell.

She returned the favor: “You make everything brighter, that’s for sure. He has a very, very bright personality and he makes me a better person.”

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