Matt James reportedly caught his ex-girlfriend Rachael Kirkconnell off guard and feeling embarrassed when he revealed their breakup through an Instagram post.

The 33-year-old "The Bachelor" star made the announcement on Thursday, sharing the news of their split after a tumultuous on-and-off relationship that started back in 2020.

Accompanying his message was a photo capturing the special moment when they first crossed paths on the reality TV show.

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Sources close to Kirkconnell and her family claim that James' latest revelation caught them completely unaware, leaving her feeling "blindsided" and "humiliated" by the abrupt public disclosure.

"She didn't know he was going to do that and definitely wouldn't have approved of it if she did," one source told The US Sun.

"She thinks it's just as weird as everyone else does."

There is reportedly a sense of confusion among Kirkconnell's inner circle as they grapple with the recent events. But their main priority remains centered on providing support to the 28-year-old Georgia native and ensuring her well-being.

"They didn't know they were fully broken up," The source said. "Rachael is being pretty quiet right now, but I know she was blindsided by Matt's post."

The insider claimed that it was Kirkconnell who made the final decision to end things abruptly, and that James is fully aware of his own actions.

James' recent social media update has sparked shock and confusion among their fans. Merely hours before the post, he had been expressing admiration for his girlfriend on several social media videos, complimenting her beauty and diving into details about engagement rings and wedding menus.

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During their visit to London, he even posted videos of Kirkconnell, creating the illusion that they were still a couple when he later announced their breakup.

However, according to the source, the couple is reportedly not in a relationship any longer and that James' social media activity boasting Kirkconnell may allegedly be driven by a desire for engagement and attention.

"But being, essentially, a social media couple, Matt has to continue posting all their pre-filmed content."

They added that his content without Kirkconnell "doesn't do as well with views and engagement so he is continuing to post as much as he can with what he has."

The pair's love story began on "The Bachelor." Despite not proposing to Kirkconnell on the show, James chose to continue their journey together in a committed relationship.