Pippa dumped because of Kate

London - Pippa Middleton's boyfriend Alex Loudon dumped her because he became sick of coming second to her sister Duchess Catherine.

The former cricketer broke up with the 27-year-old socialite recently and although it has been claimed his family didn't think she was "marriage material", friends believe Pippa's close relationship with her sister - who married Britain's Prince William in April - put the relationship under strain.

A source said: "Catherine is always Pippa's priority. She puts her sister before anything else and this is likely to become more and more the case if Pippa becomes a lady-in-waiting.

"Pippa loves helping Catherine and is unlikely to budge in that sense when it comes to any relationship."

Hoping to reconcile

However, despite Alex's concerns, party planner Pippa is reportedly hoping the couple can reconcile.

The source added to Grazia magazine: "It's so hard for Pippa because she was always devoted to Alex, despite his concern and even now she would love to find a compromise that would save the relationship.

"It's understandable if she feels like her life is back to square one. Every other weekend she seems to be going to somebody else's wedding, but suddenly she's single.

"People think she's been under siege from eligible bachelors since Catherine's wedding. In fact all it's done is drive away the man she loves."