So here is the skinny. From London to Los Angeles, Chicago to Cancun, the women of the world are agreed on one issue: Kate, you are lovely and elegant - but too darn thin.
Time to put away the pre-wedding diet and put on a few pounds. "Have you noticed how the 'disappearing duchess' is becoming a Celine Dion lookalike," one female correspondent wrote this morning. "And that is not a good thing."
Behind the scenes at Access Hollywood and other TV shows where image matters, the ladies who lounge all had the same message for the newest member of the royal family: "Don't back away from the barbeque buffet." On various Internet sites the comments ranged from "starting to look like a bag of bones" and "put on a few more pounds" to "elegant but fatten up."
In fairness, Catherine has always been slim, thanks to healthy eating, a sporty lifestyle of tennis, sailing and hockey - and competitive dieting with her younger sister Pippa who is now garnering her own headlines for her delectable derriere.
Pre-wedding nerves aside, Catherine is learning the harsh truth discovered by all celebrities - the camera does lie.
'When you are on TV, the screen gives the impression that you are 25 lbs heavier than you are in real life," notes Chicago-based therapist Dr Laura Berman who has her own radio show dealing with family and sex problems. "Women thrust into the limelight become very self-conscious about their body image and ultimately try to conform to the way they look on screen. That though is a distorting image."
The celebrity diet syndrome ensures that many stars become very self-conscious about their body size, hence the fact that most TV presenters and screen mavens are underweight for their height.
Kate has gone from being under an occasional spotlight during her courtship with William to a life literally under the microscope where every fashion choice and public appearance is pored over. Whether she wants to be a fashion icon or not, the Duchess of Cambridge is under pressure to look camera ready every minute of the day. That brings its own stresses and strains.
At the same time, as the newest member of the royal family she will notice that the rest of 'The Firm' are also strict with what they eat and drink. Small portions, no shellfish, no snacking and drinks that contain a gentle laxative to keep them regular are part of the practical Windsor Diet Manual. For the Queen and the rest of the royal family are instinctively aware that they are performers and have to look their best.
Of course no one wants a repeat of the misery Diana endured. Shortly after her engagement she became bulimic, gorging on food and then vomiting. It was a condition she blamed on Prince Charles but in reality was seated in her unhappy childhood and the acrimonious nature of her parents' divorce. It was several years before she was able to take control of her life and ultimately her eating patterns.
The last thing we all want to see is the headlines go from 'Waity' to 'No-Weight Kate.'
