Pippa Middleton's passionate embrace

Pippa Middleton reportedly passionately kissed a notorious Paris playboy during her weekend in the French capital.

The 28-year-old brunette - younger sister of Britain's Duchess Catherine - was at a lavish party thrown by French fashion entrepreneur, Vicomte Arthur de Soultrait, when she is said to have gone into a quiet corner with Antoine de Tavernost for an embrace.

The couple were later photographed walking hand-in-hand as they arrived at a post-party soiree at the nearby Le Schmuck restaurant, in which de Tavernost has a share.

A well-placed source told the Daily Mail newspaper: "She was kissing Antoine de Tavernost. He is the son of the chairman of a big TV station. He is quite wealthy and lives in Paris. They seemed like girlfriend and boyfriend on Friday night, but Antoine will see it as a bit of fun, nothing more.

"They met for the first time at the party. They were chatting and dancing. Then later they were seen kissing in the corner. Apart from this, she was very well behaved. They left together, at about 2.30am, to go to a restaurant called Schmuck St Germain, where he is a partner.

"Then they went to Regine, another nightclub. I don't know if they went home together."

Pippa has been single since splitting from boyfriend Alex Loudon last year and friends say he was calming influence on her.

One said: "He didn't do things he didn't feel like doing,' says one of their circle. He didn't let her boss him around or go to parties he didn't want to go to. It was probably quite good for her. He was a level-headed, calming influence."

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