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Pippa Middleton: Global sensation

The royal wedding didn't just launch Kate Middleton the Duchess of Cambridge into the spotlight. The extravaganza watched around the world made her younger sister Pippa, also decked out in a stunning white Alexander McQueen dress, into an overnight celebrity.

The Daily Mail called the famous maid of honor "the world's most eligible woman" and sites like BauerGriffinOnline.com have dedicated galleries to her scene-stealing green dress. Even Pippa's backside gained fame on Facebook. Searches on Yahoo! have soared since the wedding: Fans of Pippa wanted to see "pippa middleton photos," "pippa middleton dress." They hope for a romance between "pippa middleton and prince harry" despite the fact that she's already dating Prince William's friend, retired cricket star Alex Loudon. She and Loudon, now a banker, have been together since December.

Those who know Pippa, officially Philippa Charlotte Middleton, would not be surprised by her sudden celebrity. Born in 1983 and raised in Bucklebury, Berkshire, the tanner of the two sisters easily outshone her older sibling when the two children attended the girls' boarding school Downe House. According to Katie Nicholl, author of "The Making of a Royal Romance," "Pippa was the more beautiful of the two of them at that age. But Catherine was more determined, which seemed to set her apart."

Pippa followed her 14-year-old sister to the prep school Marlborough College in Wiltshire, England, where Nicholl wrote of the sisters, "They were both pretty and very close…they were tall and slim, lean and athletic."

The middle Middleton attended Edinburgh University in Scotland where she earned her degree in English, and then joined the family's business, Party Pieces.

Plum Sykes observed in the Daily Mail that Pippa gets all of the fun of being close to the monarchy minus any of the "bad bits." Adding, "Pippa is the luckiest one of all. She gets all the right sort of attention from men, fashion designers, hostesses and things, and doesn't have any of the duties."

The stunner was named Tatler magazine's No.1 society singleton in 2008. She is also a good shot: In the same year the multi-talented Middleton bagged 23 birds, including duck, pheasant, and partridge, while on a weekend holiday in Scotland.

Pippa may also have paved the way for her sister's chic engagement look. The fashionista was photographed backstage at an Issa show wearing the designer's wrap dress, similar to the look Kate later wore to announce her plans to marry Prince William.

With Pippa's prospects looking so good, she may soon be donning the Issa dress to make an announcement of her own.