'The Bachelor': Madison Prewett Speaks Out After Peter Weber Split

The pair's breakup came two days after the 'Bachelor' finale, during which Peter's mom, Barb, slammed Madison.

Madison Prewett has broken her silence. 

The 23-year-old Auburn, Alabama, native spoke out on Instagram on Thursday night for the first time after her headline-making exchange with Peter Weber's mom, Barbara, on the season finale of The Bachelor on Tuesday. Just two days later, on Thursday, Peter announced that he and Madison had split. 

"So incredibly thankful for this amazing journey I’ve had the honor of being a part of. I have grown so much and am stronger than I was going in. I have learned the importance of acceptance, forgiveness, and grace," Madison began. "As Peter and I have decided to go our separate ways, I am confident that we will both move in the direction of our purpose and never forget that God has a plan in all things."

"I will always love and respect him. I am convinced our paths were meant to cross and we are both better because they did," she continued. "@pilot_peteyou are an amazing guy and I’m thankful for you. I will always be your biggest fan. And to the amazing women I met this season, I will love you for life. Thank you @abcnetwork for allowing me to embark on this journey. ❤️." 

Bachelor Nation was divided after Tuesday's season finale, with some praising Madison for keeping her cool during Barb's outburst and others taking Peter's family's side. 

Barb said on the finale that in Australia, Madison delayed their meeting for three hours, and then only greeted them upon Peter's request -- and didn't offer an apology. Barb also claimed that Madison said she wasn't in love with Peter, and that she wouldn't accept his proposal. 

Madison did not deny Barb's claims, simply offering that she "can't change the past." Barb doubled down, explaining that she and her family don't approve of Peter's relationship with Madison, and saying of her son, "He's going to have to fail to succeed... Everyone that knows him, knows it's not going to work." 

Barb spoke out again in an interview with Life & Style on Thursday, declaring that she won't try to make amends with Madison. "There's nothing for me to apologize for," she insisted.

Still, Barb said she and her family don't "hate" Madison. 

"We just simply say that Madison's values and Peter’s don’t align. Her values don’t align with Peter’s, but no, we don’t hate her," Barb said of Madison. "They just don’t align and … you want to protect your kids no matter how old they are."

"The most important thing that we want for our children is their happiness. I just want his happiness," she added. 

Bachelor host Chris Harrison told ET on Wednesday that Madison was "pissed" about Barb's comments on Tuesday's finale, which have left the Weber family "splintered." 

See more in the video below. 

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