Rachael Kirkconnell is the current frontrunner on Matt James' The Bachelor season.
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Rachael is a 24-year-old graphic designer from Cumming, GA.
Matt said Rachael impressed him week after week with her quiet confidence.
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"She's never been the first one to run to me and she's not the loudest woman in the room, but she's very confident and assure of herself, and that shines louder than anything else," Matt said in a confessional.
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When the pair enjoyed a dinner during a one-on-one date, Rachael confessed she was "already completely falling in love" with The Bachelor star, adding, "I want to walk out of here with you. I want to start my life with you, and I hope that will happen."
Matt then told Rachael without fear or hesitation, "You're not crazy because I feel the same way... Rachael, I'm falling in love with you too, and it is scary to say, but when I'm with you, it just feels right."
Matt revealed he could see himself proposing marriage to Rachael at the end of the process, and Rachael is the only girl who he's expressed feelings of love to with hometown dates around the corner.
Until viewers can watch more of Rachael and Matt's love story unfold on The Bachelor, let's learn some things about this bachelorette right now.
Below is a list of 11 facts Reality TV World has compiled about Rachael Kirkconnell.
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Rachael Kirkconnell says she went on the show for the right reasons
Rachael insists Matt is the reason why she decided to apply for The Bachelor and appear on the show for its 2021 season.The bachelorette liked the idea of both Matt and herself appearing on the reality show for the first time given Matt had never competed on The Bachelorette prior to being named The Bachelor star for Season 25.
Rachael predicted the pair would have a lot of fun together on the show as newbies.
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There's more to Rachael than just her sweet smile
When announcing Matt's cast of bachelorettes in a Facebook Live video, The Bachelor host Chris Harrison revealed, "Rachael is just a down-to-earth southern girl, really personable and just as sweet as cotton candy."ADVERTISEMENT
"But also very competitive," Chris added.
"Don't let that southern side fool ya! Again, I go back to [Hannah Brown] and [Hannah Ann Sluss] and all of our Hannahs. She has that sweet southern charm, but trust me, they can take care of their own."
Rachael decided to go to college near home
Rachael graduated from Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville, GA in May 2019 with a BBA Marketing degree.Rachael made the Dean's List for multiple semesters.
The brunette beauty says she is looking for a once-in-a-lifetime love
Rachael claims to be a hopeless romantic to her core, but she admits her past relationships didn't work out partially because she lacked confidence.ADVERTISEMENT
Rachael has apparently never been in love before, just like Matt, but she believes Matt could be the guy to change that.
Rachael says she is hoping her love story will be something huge and life altering.
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Rachael appears to be a well-traveled social butterfly
According to Rachael's social-media account, she has traveled quite a bit for a 24 year old.Dubbed a "southern sweetheart" by ABC, Rachael has visited Saint John in the U.S. Virgin Islands and also touched down in many U.S. states with her friends -- including Florida, New York, California, Chicago, Louisiana, Las Vegas, North Carolina, and Alabama.
The Bachelor bachelorette attempts to live big with no regrets
Nothing makes Rachael happier than a good movie, good wine and charcuterie boards.She says she wants to look back on her life when she's old and feel like she has made the absolute most out of every single day.
Rachael hopes to find a man who will make every day with her special and something to tell their future children about.
Rachael has been in a social-media controversy since The Bachelor premiered
A TikTok user named Maddy Bierster posted a video clip in early January of Rachael and Matt talking on Night 1 at the cocktail party on Reddit and wrote over the image, "Girlieeee, remember when you bullied me in high school for liking black guys???"Maddy also captioned her post on TikTok, "BECAUSE I REMEMBER."
Reality Steve spoiler blogger Steve Carbone shared his thoughts on the controversy when he tweeted January 4, "Think it's all fun and games and IG shilling being a contestant on this show? Not necessarily when anyone from your past can throw out accusations and you won't be able to defend yourself for a while."
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Maddy later insisted in videos on her TikTok she'd never lie about anything so serious and Rachael and her friend group in high school had "ridiculed" her for dating a boy of a different race. She suggested Rachael is hypocritical and needs to be held accountable for her actions.
Maddy also claimed she never received an apology from Rachael and would like one.
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In addition, Rachael has been accused of cultural appropriation and liking photos with offensive and racist content on Instagram, such as a friend standing in front of a house displaying the Confederate flag.
And earlier this month, photos also emerged of Rachael with her sorority sisters attending an antebellum plantation-themed "Old South" fraternity formal at Georgia College & State University in 2018, which was only three years ago.
Reality Steve spoiler blogger Steve Carbone reposted two photos from the party February 5 on Twitter and tweeted how this was "unacceptable" and "wildly ignorant" of Rachael to do.
Rachael has apologized for her "offensive and racist" behavior
The Bachelor bachelorette took to Instagram in mid-February with a lengthy apology."While there have been rumors circulating, there have also been truths that have come to light that I need to address. I hear you, and I'm here to say I was wrong," Rachael wrote.
"At one point, I didn't recognize how offensive and racist my actions were, but that doesn't excuse them. My age or when it happened does not excuse anything. They are not acceptable or okay in any sense. I was ignorant, but my ignorance was racist."
Rachael added, "I am sorry to the communities and individuals that my actions harmed and offended. I am ashamed about my lack of education, but it is no one's responsibility to educate me."
Rachael continued in her apology, "I am learning and will continue to learn how to be antiracist, because it's important to speak up in the moment and not after you're called out. If you are a person who doesn't understand the offense in question, I urge you to learn from my mistakes and encourage you to use them as a teachable moment."
"As for my family, I love them and how they raised me to be my own individual," Rachael wrote.
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"They have always encouraged me to have my own views, opinions, and beliefs. As I was thinking about what I wanted to say, I couldn't help but think about how sick people must be of reading these kinds of statements; how a person didn't realize the trauma that their actions would inflict on other people. It must get so exhausting."
Rachael therefore said she wants to put her "energy towards preventing people from making the same offensive mistakes that I made in the first place, and I hope I can prove this to you moving forward."
She concluded her post, "Racial progress and unity are impossible without (white) accountability, and I deserve to be held accountable for my actions. I will never grow unless I recognize what I have done is wrong. I don't think one apology means that I deserve your forgiveness, but rather I hope I can earn your forgiveness through my future actions."
The graphic designer is a dog mom and they're a package deal
Rachael apparently has a love for animals and got a puppy she named Winnie in 2017.In November 2017, Rachael shared multiple photos with her brown and black furbaby, who appears to be a dachshund mix.
Rachael captioned the slideshow, "If you know me you know this is my dream. I can't wait to spoil you my little baby Winnie, momma loves you way too much already."
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The Bachelor's Sarah Trott doesn't believe Rachael is a mean girl
Sarah revealed to Entertainment Tonight that Rachael and Bri Springs attempted to console her when she felt attacked by the other girls and decided to quit The Bachelor, although the sweet moment wasn't shown on television."A scene that didn't make it, Rachael and Bri are so sweet and they came to comfort me," Sarah shared.
"I did make good friends and there were moments where I was thinking, 'These are friendships that I can have moving forward.' So I think that's a positive, too."
Sarah therefore told ET that she hopes Matt ended up choosing Rachael or Bri in the end.
"They were the first to comfort me and they were absolute sweethearts," Sarah recalled.
"I can imagine them being in the Top 4 just because they are really sweet and smart girls, from what I saw, and that is the kind of person Matt should end up with."
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Rachel can be impatient and messy, but is also neat
Rachael's favorite way to pass the time is by doodling.The bachelorette hates slow drivers.
And Rachael says she is very neat with organization and cleanliness but messy when it comes to planning and scheduling.
Rachael Kirkconnell Photos
Click the BEGIN GALLERY link below to see some additional photos of Rachael!RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
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