Pippa Middleton and Alex Loudon
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Philippa "Pippa" Middleton was certainly a standout at the wedding of her sister, Duchess Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, to Prince William.
But what's the story behind the lucky gentleman who accompanied Pippa, 27, on the big day as she fulfilled her duties as maid of honor?
Here's what you should know about Pippa's royal wedding date – and rumored beau – Alex Loudon:
1. He ended his career as a cricket player to work in business
A right-handed batsman and an off spin bowler, Loudon, 30, had a promising career as an English cricket player. But in 2007, the Warwickshire-based athlete ended it to focus on a job in business. "I will continue to closely support the club and wish the boys every success for the next season and beyond," Loudon said at the time, according to the BBC. The following year, he enrolled in the full-time MBA program at the London Business School.
2. He's no stranger to the good life
Alex's dad, James Loudon, is a retired financier. Alex was the president of Pop, an elite society at Eton, the school he attended before he went to college at Durham, one of the most prestigious and highest-ranked universities in England. According to the Daily Mail, Alex was "unbelievably popular" throughout his school days.
3. He fits the mold of the typical sort of guy Middleton dates
Similar to Loudon, Pippa's former reported flames Charlie Gilkes, Simon Youngman and Billy More Nesbitt are also considered handsome, well-rounded men from wealthy families. Gilkes ran a popular nightclub and attended school at Edinburgh with Middleton, while Nesbitt is a Scottish aristocrat. Youngman is a diamond heir who works in event planning.
