Who's cozying up to Kate now?

Hello - who's this? Kate Middleton's out on the town again, and she appears to have acquired A Friend.

Since she broke up with Prince William, 25-year-old Kate has become something of a fixture on the London club circuit (or at least its more Sloaney reaches).

There was no shortage of male attention for Middleton during her night out on the town

Her mystery man got Middleton laughing as they left the club

However, her usual companion when out partying has been her younger - and from what one gathers, highly socially ambitious - sister Pippa, 22.

And now this. One does not want to leap to unwarranted conclusions, but as she and her male friend were driven away from the Mahiki club in Dover Street last night, they did seem to be giving each other an uncommonly fond look in the back of the car.

There was no shortage of male attention for Kate - she was spotted with another mystery man in a blue shirt that same night.

William who? The pair chat away in the back of a cab

Middleton's associate took a hands on approach

But it was the gentlemen in the pink shirt that appeared to catch her attention. And yes, the girl does seem to look rather happy.

Quite radiant, in fact. The last time Kate was snapped looking so pleased with life in the back of a car, she was gazing into the eyes of Prince William, and such was the look of love they exchanged that most of us thought that wedding bells could not be far off.

Oh well, you can’t get it right all the time.

Kate was out at Mahiki and then Boujis, accompanied by friends including William’s old pal Guy Pelly.

As to the identity of Kate’s main companion, that is for the moment a mystery - but it will not, we suspect, remain so for long.

No one could accuse her of being inconsistent. Those cords, that pink gingham shirt, the cufflinks, even the well-polished loafers - he could not look more like an inhabitant of the Fulham- Gloucestershire-Sandhurst social triangle if he tried.

As for that receding hairline - well, let us just say that it won’t be the first time that Kate has been squired by a young man going prematurely thin on top.

Middleton's male companion kept right by her side

Caught in the middle: Kate's other man pal lead the charge