Bachelor’s Kit Keenan: 5 Things to Know About Cynthia Rowley’s Daughter

Kit Keenan has been on Bachelor Nation’s radar since she got out of the limo in a pink feather minidress and black lace-up boots, but her relationship with Matt James hasn’t been highlighted until the Monday, February 1, episode of The Bachelor.

“Kit’s going to be very interesting. I can’t wait to see how you all respond to Kit,” Chris Harrison teased in December 2020 via YouTube. “Kit was born and raised in the West Village of New York City. So think Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City vibe. … Kit had boxes and boxes of dresses and outfits shipped to where we were shooting the show. Easily the best dressed. Maybe the best-dressed woman we’ve ever had.”

The daughter of fashion designer Cynthia Rowley, Kit, 21, already had a growing social media platform when she joined the cast of The Bachelor, but according to the Instagram account Bachelor Data Analyst, she has gained more than 95,000 followers since the January 5 premiere. The attention on the socialite hasn’t been all positive, however. After she was accused of teaming up with “queen” Victoria Larson to bully Sarah Trott out of the house, Kit apologized.

“I believe what unfolded last night was an outcome of a lack of communication. I had no idea what was going on with Sarah’s family or in her personal life,” she wrote on January 19 via Instagram Stories, referring to Sarah’s dad’s battle with ALS. “Rather than hearing her out, I spoke quickly out of frustration and that was unacceptable. I know that the time for compassion was in the moment and not in hindsight, but I want to apologize to Sarah & anyone whose feelings were hurt by my words.”

During the episode in which Sarah quit the show amid backlash for crashing a group date, Kit was one of the contestants who warned her that life at Nemacolin Resort would be difficult if she stayed. “I hope that your connection with Matt is very strong right now because the rest of your living situation here is going to be horrible,” she quipped on the show.

Harrison, however, previously teased that there’s a lot of “depth” to Kit, encouraging viewers to keep an eye on her ahead of the premiere. The host added that she has a “great spirit” and was “serious” and “sincere” about finding love despite her young age and “socialite” title.

The Bachelor airs on ABC Mondays at 8 p.m. ET. Scroll through for five things to know about Kit:

1. Her Mom Is Cynthia Rowley

Kit was born in 1999 to the fashion designer and Brooklyn sculptor William Keenan Jr. After she split from Kit’s dad, Rowley married art dealer Bill Powers and welcomed daughter Gigi Clementine Powers. Kit, who is an undergrad at NYU, still lives with her mom and stepfather in NYC’s West Village.

Gregory Pace/Shutterstock

2. She’s Younger Than the Average ‘Bachelor’ Contestant

According to Vulture, the average Bachelor contestant is 26 years old. Kit is the third 21-year-old to appear on the series after season 17’s Cassandra Ferguson and season 19’s Mackenzie Deonigi.

ABC/Craig Sjodin

3. She Has a Fashion Line

Kit is following in her mother’s footsteps, releasing a clothing line of her own called KIT in 2018. She also hosts a podcast called “Ageless” with her mother.

Gregory Pace/Shutterstock

4. She’s Had 1 Serious Boyfriend

Kit hasn’t been in a serious relationship since high school because “she hasn't found a man who can measure up to the level of emotional intelligence she needs,” according to ABC.

ABC/Craig Sjodin

5. What She Wants in a Man

“Kit is looking for a man who is genuine, open and honest. She is a straight shooter who has no interest in anyone who is fake or indirect,” her ABC bio reads. “This badass woman wants to find someone who can keep up with her witty banter and hold their own in the New York social scene. Kit knows that she has high standards, but she has no doubt that Matt will be able to live up to the hype.”

ABC/Craig Sjodin