Pippa Middleton is dating wealthy investment banker

Philippa 'Pippa' Middleton is dating a wealthy investment banker.

The 28-year-old party planner — who is the younger sister of the duchess of Cambridge — has enjoyed a string of dates with 37-year-old James Matthews in recent weeks and friends say their relationship is going "from strength to strength".

An onlooker at London's Hakkasan restaurant, who saw the couple on a recent date there, said: "Pippa and James sat in a secluded booth in the upstairs area, where it was quieter, sharing a bottle of white wine.

"They were deep in conversation and only had eyes for each other.

"Pippa was all smiles and kept ­giggling. They stayed for nearly three hours and didn't seem to want the meal to end."

Pippa — who has been largely single since splitting from Alex Loudon last November after three years together — had been focusing her attentions on her new book Celebrate: A Year Of British Festivities For Families And Friends, but now that the party guide has been released, she is ready for love again.

A friend told the Sunday Mirror newspaper: "Pippa is quite taken with James. She wants to take things slowly at first, but she is ready for a full-time man in her life again."