Why Matt James Appreciated Controversial Queen Victoria During His Bachelor Debut

Matt James officially made his debut as the Bachelor on Jan. 4, 2021. While there wasn't much drama on opening night, fans could already see problems arising after meeting some of the characters, err, contestants, of Matt's season. First, there's Kit Keenan, who says she is ready for a serious commitment and has yet to find a man that matches her "maturity level," as her official Bachelor bio reads. However, after listening to her snarky comments and complaints, fans aren't so convinced she's more mature than any other 21-year-old who signs up for a reality dating show. Even Bachelor Nation alum Dylan Barbour was immediately weary of Kit's intentions. "Oh yeah kit is a PROBLEM," he tweeted.

That being said, possibly the most alarming contestant of the night was "Queen" Victoria Larson, who entered the show in a way fit for a queen: by being carried into Matt's view on a luxurious chair wearing a sparkling crown. "I'm Victoria like the queen and I'm looking for a king with a good heart," she said as James greeted her.

While she's not related to Queen Victoria (that we know of), Victoria didn't let her queenly façade down throughout the night, royally annoying some fellow contestants. Viewers also weren't fond of her uppity personality and accused her of being planted by Bachelor producers. However, Matt seemingly enjoyed Victoria's majestic aura and rewarded her with a rose at the night's end. Keep reading to learn why Matt James appreciated controversial Queen Victoria during his Bachelor debut.

It was no secret that Matt James was nervous about being the Bachelor, especially because he has never appeared on the franchise before (nor reality television of any type). Host Chris Harrison made it a point to note the fact that Matt's journey into Bachelor Nation is quite different from the rest, and even offered some tips to the newbie before he met his contestants.

Matt also admitted he was nervous during an interview with Jimmy Kimmel following The Bachelor Season 25 premiere. He also said that Victoria Larson's entrance really calmed him down. "I appreciated everything about Victoria's entrance and who she was because ... whatever you need to do to stand out she did it," he shared. "And I remembered her name and it was lighthearted and ... it broke the ice. It's such a tense situation and I was nervous and then when she comes out with everything that she is, it put a smile on my face and it brought less tension to the night," he added.

Matt even nixed rumors that the Bachelor producers forced him to give the controversial queen a rose at the end of the night. "That wasn't the case, she's great. I really enjoyed Victoria." He ended his talk about Victoria with a laugh, though, after Kimmel asked if they ended up together. It looks like Matt is being tight-lipped about whether or not he found his queen.