They say absence makes hearts grow fonder, but it's not true in the case of long-distance couple Pippa Middleton and beau Nico Jackson, as the couple ended their three-year relationship just recently.

According to an E Online report, the sporty sister of the Duchess of Cambridge is officially back in the market after breaking up with long-time beau Nico Jackson. The reason to blame? Sources say the relationship just would not work because they are just too far from each other.

The report also said that ever since the hedge fund banker flew to Geneva for work, Pippa and Nico had a challenging year and also began "having trouble seeing each other on a regular basis."

"The long distance did not work, especially with how busy Pippa was," a source told E Online. "A lot of their problems stemmed on the fact that she was always busy working-and was he-and they never had time for one another."

Recently, Pippa was also seen to be reuniting with her former boyfriends in the past months while Nico was working in Geneva. However, a source confirmed to the Daily Mail that the break-up did not have any third parties.  

According to Daily Mail, Middleton's photos were published last week as she was together with her ex-boyfriend, 40-year-old investment banker James Matthews. Pippa and James dated for a short while when she and Nico had a break in 2012.  

The Duchess of Cambridge daughter was also spotted sharing a meal together with her ex, Alex Loudon in September. People reports that the two former flames were together during Duke William and Duchess Kate's wedding but eventually split up after two months of being together.

The last time that Nico and Pippa have been spotted together was also during September when the two had a night out in London as the pair left Violet Hills Studios together and it was their first night out in spring since Nico was usually away for work.

In April, before the birth of Princess Charlotte, the two were also spotted having a romantic vacation in Venice.

Rumors also have it that the pair are to be engaged, however, the investment manager moved to Geneva from his London home have seriously overturned the supposed wedding plans, Daily Mail reports.

However, an E Online source said that the 32-year-old lady is not yet ready to settle down as she still have a lot of things to be done for her career. The source said that Pippa is trying to retrain as a nutritionist and added that she is "fiercely ambitious."