Harry Styles is known to fancy women years older than him. He once dated the 35-year-old Caroline Flack in 2011. So it may or may not come as a surprise that he's been linked again to another older woman. This time with Nicole Scherzinger, who is a decade older than him.

A source told The Sun's Dan Wootton that the pair secretly dated back in 2013, when Harry was 19 and Nicole 35. It was reportedly during Nicole's "break" from Formula 1 racer Lewis Hamilton that she and Harry had a romantic fling.

"They had a dalliance at the end of the X Factor in 2013 and met up again early last year. Harry was obviously very taken by Nicole who is stunning and he had always looked up to her," the source said to be close to the pair told Wootton.

It's believed Harry had already taken an interest on Nicole since he was 16, when he met her at the "X-Factor UK." It was reportedly when Nicole was a guest judge on the music show and had helped put One Direction together.

"She was a guest judge on X Factor at the time One Direction were formed and has always claimed credit for putting the band together, even though Simon Cowell says it was his idea. But they hooked up over three years later when Harry had matured and was a member of the world's biggest band," the source further revealed to Wootton.

Another insider claimed Nicole and Harry even flirted a lot with each other in 2013 when One Direction performed for the "X-Factor" final. They reportedly also flirted during the after party at the 2014 British Awards. An eyewitness told Wootton there was certain "electric chemistry between them and that "something had gone on." The eyewitness added Harry and Nicole were all over each other as they sat next to each other flirting.

However, Harry and Nicole never meant to have a serious relationship, said a source close to the Pussycat Dolls' singer. Their relationship was just casual although they reportedly kissed and got on well.

This is not the first time Harry has been linked with an older woman. "The X-Factor" host Caroline Flack recently revealed he had secretly casually dated the 21-year-old in 2011. Harry was only 17 years old then. But the pair broke up after he was photographed leaving Caroline's house early in the morning and the media had found out about their relationship.