'Jackie Baker and the Curse of the Mummy Tummy'

'Paparazzi at the Invictus Games Gala last night whispered amongst themselves as the Duchess of Windsor stepped from her Range Rover and mounted the red carpet: Had Jackie just given birth, or was she she still pregnant?'

'Jackie Baker looked stunning in her black gown last night as she supported her husband, Prince Harry's, new project. Unfortunately, the remains of her baby bump appear to be sticking around for the long haul. If one didn't know that Jackie has a seven week old, Princess Mary Catherine Diana, they may think she was about 5 months pregnant by the looks of her stomach.'

'Despite wearing a flowing skirt in an attempt to hide the left overs of her Mummy-Tummy, when Jackie leaned in to give her hubby a supportive hug, her pooch was impossible to miss. See the photo below!'

'Jackie's sister in law, Catherine Middleton, gave birth just one day before Jackie, and showed off her svelte figure a few days ago at a marathon in Anglesey. Hopefully Kate can give Jackie a few diet and exercise pointers!'

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Jackie felt a weight in her stomach as her eyes skimmed the DailyMail article. Did she really look 5 months pregnant? She put a hand on her stomach, "mum-tum." Obviously it was still ever so slightly rounded, but she had thought she was making good progress losing the baby weight. And obviously Kate looked smaller, she always had been smaller than Jackie and gained less weight during her pregnancy.

Jackie made a poor, split second decision and opened up her search engine, typing in 'Jackie Baker Fat.' In less than a second, about 3 more articles popped up, all sporting photos from the Invictus Gala. Her stomach churned with anger and hurt as she read each one, all criticizing her post-baby body at the Gala. 

"Mary Kate, do you think I still look pregnant?" Jackie asked her 7 week old daughter who rocked in a baby swing in the corner of her Kensington Palace office. Mary Kate blinked her eyes sleepily in response. Jackie smiled. "Thanks." 

Jackie got up from her office chair and gently took her daughter into her arms before carrying her to her nursery. It was three o'clock, just about time for Mary Kate's afternoon nap. Jackie settled her sleepy baby into her crib before knocking lightly on Nanny Sophia's bedroom door. Mary Kate's nanny opened the door promptly, some knitting supplies in her hands. 

Jackie smiled. "I'm going to run outside for a moment, Mary's in her crib. What are you working on?"

Nanny Sophia held up the beginnings of a white knitted blanket. "Just a little 2 month birthday present for The Princess," she said. Though Jackie had insisted Nanny Sophia never refer to Mary Kate- or any member of the Windsor sector of the royal family- as "Your Highness," the Spanish nanny had taken to calling Mary Kate "The Princess" as a term of endearment, rather than as a royal title.

"It looks beautiful, but can you really finish it in a week?" Jackie asked teasingly. 

"You're underestimating my knitting skills, Jackie," Nanny Sophia shot back with a grin. 

Jackie made her way out of Kensington Apartment 1B and out into the palace gardens. 1A and 1B shared a private section of grass and trees, blocked from the view of the other palace apartments by a privacy fence. She smiled at the sight of Harry and Rupert playing fetch across the stretch of green grass. 

"How's it going?" Jackie asked, crossing the yard to stand at her husband's side. 

Harry put an arm around Jackie's shoulders. "Rupert and I are just getting our daily exercise."

"Looks tiring," Jackie teased as Rupert carried a tennis ball back to Harry. 

"It really works my biceps." Harry shoved up his shirt sleeves and flexed, motioning for Jackie to give them a squeeze. 

She laughed and admired his arms. "Kate and I were in the exercise room this morning, I can hardly keep up with her on the track." 

"That's not true, you beat me a few times," Harry countered. 

Jackie shook her head. "I'm out of shape, I haven't run since I was in my second trimester." 

Harry pursed his lips. "Why are you talking like that?"

"The DailyMail says I look 5 months pregnant." Jackie pulled her teeshirt over her head so she was just standing in her sports bra and running shorts. She dramatically puffed out her stomach and posed as if she were pregnant.

Harry looked genuinely sad. "I think you look beautiful, and I don't want you to read a word they write." He pulled Jackie into a bone crushing hug.  

Jackie always prided herself on her thick skin, but for some reason the DailyMail article had really gotten to her. Harry's hug eased the uneasy heaviness in her stomach. "Well, thank you. And I don't care what the DailyMail says, your biceps look the best they ever have." 

Harry pretended to look shocked. "What have they been saying?"

"It doesn't matter what they say, I still think you're beautiful," Jackie said with a wink. 

"I see how it is," Harry laughed. 

A banging noise drew Jackie and Harry apart. Their eyes followed the sound, locking in on a window above their heads. Kate stood in one of the windows of Apartment 1A, George in her arms. Jackie and Harry waved, but Kate's eyes seemed a bit panicked. 

Jackie turned to Harry. "Is something wrong?"

He shrugged, and put his hands up in the air. "What?"

Kate banged on the window again, waving her free arm wildly before pointing into the sky. Jackie and Harry's eyes followed Kate's finger. Something was floating in the sky just above the high shrubs and trees that blocked the grounds of Kensington Palace from public view. Jackie squinted against the sun, trying to get a better look. Her stomach dropped as she realized what the hovering shape was. A drone. 

"Let's go," Harry snapped, calling Rupert and putting an arm around Jackie's waist, rushing her towards the door that led from the private garden into the apartment section of the palace. 

"Hey!" Harry yelled as soon as the door closed behind them. Jackie hurriedly pulled her shirt over her head, her stomach sinking at the thought go the drone snapping a photo of her in just her sports bra and shorts.

A palace guard rounded the corner, looking alarmed. "What is it, Your Highness?"

"There's a drone over the damn bushes!" Harry said, pointing towards the door. "Someone's got to go get it."

Jackie couldn't believe someone had managed to get a little remote controlled helicopter through the  no-fly zone that shielded the palace. But if someone could get it in, they could surely get it out- stocked full of "shirtless" photos. 

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Please keep it up with the great comments and suggestions! I know a lot of you were hoping to see some alone time with Jackie and Harry, as well as the press attention getting to Jackie a bit. I hope you like it!