Pippa drops out of society ball after boyfriend jilts her over media circus

Pippa Middleton has pulled out of a glittering City society event following her split from long-term boyfriend Alex Loudon.

The Duchess of Cambridge's younger sister was due to attend the Square Mile Masked Ball at the Royal Courts of Justice this month.
However, organisers have now been told she is unlikely to come.

Old Etonian Mr Loudon, 31, reportedly dumped Miss Middleton last week because he could no longer cope with the "circus" that surrounds his world-famous girlfriend, who shot to international stardom as her sister's maid of honour at the royal wedding in April.

Since then, Miss Middleton, 28, has been dubbed one of the world's most sought-after women - attracting the nickname "her royal hotness" - and attracted admirers including American star Justin Timberlake.

Miss Middleton and Mr Loudon briefly split in June after Pippa had been photographed on a mini-break with her friend George Percy, a future duke. But the couple soon got back together.
Miss Middleton's last big public outing was the Too Many Women charity event in London where she danced with her friend, the designer Katie Readman, and sat next to Carphone Warehouse founder David Ross, who knows the Middletons from holidays on Mustique.

Mr Loudon is said to have become disillusioned with the constant media attention on the couple while his parents were reportedly "lukewarm about the relationship" and did not think Miss Middleton was "wife material".

Cracks began to emerge in September when the pair had a "blazing and very public" argument at the wedding of Miss Middleton's old Edinburgh University friend Humphrey Bowles in Yorkshire.
Last month, newspapers published pictures of Miss Middleton in a low-cut red dress being lifted up by children's party entertainer Charlie "Sharky" Astor at a ball in London.

Now, following the split, it seems Prince William's sister-in-law has decided to withdraw temporarily from the spotlight.

Friends are said to have claimed that Clarence House has ordered her to "keep a low profile" following the split. An official Clarence House spokesman refused to comment.