Kate Middleton Might Have Played A Part In Sister Pippa's Split From Alex Loudon

The beginning of the Prince and Princess of Wales' relationship in 2001 marked the increase in media visibility for Kate Middleton and her family, and not all the attention they received was positive. News articles from the time targeted Middleton's lifestyle, suggested her mother had always intended for her to date the prince, dug into the family's controversies, and even scrutinized the matriarch of the family for chewing gum. The intent behind each headline shifted when Kate and Prince William wed in 2011, but the media visibility remained, which directly contributed to the demise of one of Pippa Middleton's relationships.

Pippa became romantically involved with former cricketer Alex Loudon in 2010, and a year later, he escorted the younger of the Middleton sisters to the royal wedding. However, the two went their separate ways shortly after, with a source close to Loudon telling the Daily Mail that the cricketer was uncomfortable with being in the spotlight that came due to Pippa's relation to the royal family. "He hated the fact they were followed by paparazzi and he avoided going out because of it," the source told the media outlet. "He loves his family and his friends and has no time for celebrity."

This wasn't necessarily a surprise, of course. As celebrity love coach and body language expert Nicole Moore told The List, being in the public eye puts a lot of added strain on a relationship that many people just can't deal with. "Public scrutiny is especially difficult for those who consider themselves private people or those who are sensitive to criticism, so if one partner is okay with the spotlight and the other is more wary of it, this can cause tremendous conflict," she said. Moore added that the criticism famous people have to deal with can be tough for another reason: No one likes to see negative headlines about their partner. "We all tend to hate it when people talk badly about the person we love and couples in the public eye often experience this on a regular basis," she explained.

A month after Pippa Middleton's relationship with Alex Loudon ended, her sister, Kate, was set to spend the Christmas holiday with the royal family. She attended out of obligation, but author and broadcaster Katie Nicholl noted in her book "Kate The Future Queen" that Catherine felt sad that she couldn't be there for her grieving sister during the holidays. "Kate felt a measure of responsibility, as she knew that everyone in her family was in a vulnerable position now that she had become Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Cambridge," Nicholl wrote. 

Admittedly, Moore believes that Pippa may have had hard feelings toward her big sister over the breakup, as well as her decision to spend the holidays with the royals. "It's definitely possible that Pippa harbored resentment toward Kate, as the scrutiny she faces is in large part due to her sister's position within the Royal Family." Moore shared. "Kate signed up for public scrutiny when she married Prince William, but Pippa did not so it's understandable that she might feel annoyed or upset at times when she just wants to be left out of the public eye but can't due to the public's interest in her sister." She added that Pippa may have felt there was in imbalance in their relationship, saying, "The fact that Kate reportedly felt guilty for triggering Pippa's breakup but then didn't see her over the Christmas holiday may indicate that they have the kind of partnership where Kate's needs and interests come first."

Pippa casually dated two men before going public with her relationship with James Matthewsin 2015. By the following year, Pippa and Matthews, who is a hedge fund manager, were engaged, and they wed in May 2017. Kate was able to show full support for the couple as she was actively involved in their wedding festivities. In addition to planning her sister's lavish bachelorette party and assisting with wedding planning, Kate managed the young children, including her own, on Pippa's wedding day, keeping them from disrupting the joyous affair. It's safe to say that Pippa's years with Loudon are long forgotten as she and Matthews are happily married, have three children together, and have no issue stepping into the spotlight together.