Wondering what causes bloating? Gut health expert Megan Rossi explains, plus shares 5 simple cures

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Plus, doctor Megan Rossi shares her top remedies, too.

Hands up if you’ve ever experienced a sore, puffy stomach that left you feeling sluggish and in pain? If yes, then you’ve probably wondered what causes bloating and if there are any simple remedies for it.

As many as 25% of individuals are affected by troublesome bloating, according to a review published in the International Scholarly Research Notices of Gastroenterology.

Not sure what bloating actually is? If not, then lucky you – because if you’ve ever experienced it, you’ll know about it. “Bloating is one of the most common gut symptoms people report,” explains doctor Megan Rossi, registered dietitian and author of Eat More, Live Well. “Put simply, it’s the feeling of increased pressure in your intestine that in some cases may also cause a visible protrusion,” she explains.

Some may call it an air baby, as your stomach will likely appear round and sticking out. Been there, done that? Keep scrolling for doctor Rossi’s insight into the root causes and simple cures.

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What causes bloating? Your guide

What are the main symptoms of bloating? 

Before we get started on what causes that painful, puffiness around your mid-section, it’s worth covering the main symptoms, for those who aren’t sure if they’ve experienced it before.

There are several different types, including intermittent bloating, aka the type that comes and goes over the course of the day. “This type of bloating is more common and is typically managed through diet and lifestyle,” she explains.

The other type is continuous bloating. “Continuous bloating, on the other hand – bloating whereby you always feel bloated with no fluctuations over the course of the day – is less common and is best reviewed by your GP first,” she advises.

What causes bloating? 

Good question – and not a question that has a straightforward answer, sadly.

“Bloating is a topic that falls victim many a latest ‘quick fix’ or ‘magic foods’ that promise to help beat it,” Rossi explains.

How so? Well, many doctors claim that certain foods cause bloating – Rossi doesn’t think they do – and that you need to do all sorts of whacky quick fixes (we’re looking at you, apple cider vinegar shots) to ‘cure’ it.

“Bloating is not all your food’s fault,” explains the doctor. “We can be quick to blame what we eat for any gut issues, but the fact is, bloating can be just as much about our lifestyle and how you eat – not what you eat. There’s also no superfood or supplement that’ll magically fix it – no matter what you read about ‘foods to eliminate bloating’.”

Some common triggers include:

1. Wearing tight pants (for example, wearing gym leggings all day)
2. Not chewing your food enough
3. Having a stressful day
4. Drinking too many fruit smoothies and juices instead of eating the fruit whole
5. Holding in your farts
6. Chewing gum and other sugar free foods that contain added sweeteners ending in -ol

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Is bloating normal? 

Another good question, because yes, to an extent, everyone will bloat a little. “The occasional bloating is totally normal – especially after a big meal or eating extra fibre,” she explains.

“In fact, a bit of bloating after a high-fibre meal is a good thing. It’s a sign of well-fed gut microbes (including good bacteria) just doing their thing.”

Read our guides to the best collagen supplements and probiotics for women, while you’re here.

What should I do if my bloating persists? 

Is your bloating starting to affect your day-to-day? Rossi reckons that it’s always best to be on the safe side.

If your gut symptoms are accompanied by unintended weight loss (that’s more than 5% of your body weight in six months), blood in your poo, low blood iron levels or a fever, ‘do visit your GP to rule out more troublesome causes,’ recommends Rossi.

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5 simple tips for easing bloating 

Some simple lifestyle and diet tweaks may ease your bloating if you experience the intermittent kind. “Unfortunately there is no one size fits all, but seeing a qualified nutritionist – and trying the below steps – could help,” she explains.

1. Chew your food

Simple, but effective, ensuring you’re chewing your food well is key to reducing your risk of bloating. “Aim for ten to twenty chews per mouthful,” shares Rossi.

2. Opt for smaller meals

Across the course of the day, she recommends splitting your food intake into smaller meals to help with digestion.

3. Try gentle massage

Already suffering from a bloated stomach and not sure what to do? “Gentle stretching, abdominal massage and heat packs can help to release trapped gas,” she explains.

4. Avoid tight clothes

Again, sounds obvious but can be really effective. “Avoid wearing tight clothes, such as gym leggings, where you can,” she warns.

5. Rule out food intolerances

Still not sure what causes bloating and worried it could be something more serious? Do make sure that a food intolerance isn’t causing your bloat. “Visiting a professional to ensure you don’t have any common food intolerances that are causing the bloating is important,” she concludes.

Bottom line: if you’ve tried the above over a four week period and still don’t have relief, it’s time to visit your GP, she advises. “It’s important to rule out other causes such as coeliac disease, which can be done with a simple blood test,” she explains.

Although a little bit of bloating is completely normal, if isn’t normal for it to impact your day-to-day quality of life. Her new book, Eat Yourself Healthy, also offers an evidence-based step-by-step bloating guide.

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The sweet reason Prince George was “so upset” about his parents’ latest royal visit

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"The children are not going to believe I did this."

Temperatures are dropping, best winter coats season is incoming, and the Cambridge children are officially back to school.

After months of pandemic-induced homeschooling at Anmer Hall, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s two eldest children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, are embarking on the autumn term at their London school, Thomas’s Battersea. And though he may have just turned eight (feel old yet?), it’s reported that Kate and William are already considering which secondary school will be best suited to their eldest son.

While Prince Harry and Prince William attended Eton College, and Scotland’s Gordonstoun was the alma mater of the late Duke of Edinburgh and his three sons Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, it’s been reported that George might instead follow in the footsteps of his mother, and attend the co-educational Marlborough College in Wiltshire.

Luckily, though, little George doesn’t have to worry about the transition to secondary school just yet – and besides, he’s got more important things on mind. Like, say, the fact that his father got to handle a snake on his most recent royal visit, and he missed out on all the fun.

Yes, touching down in Northern Ireland yesterday, Kate and William swapped their red carpet glad rags for more casual attire, as they toured the University of Ulster’s Magee campus in Derry, and chatted with some of the students. They even stopped off at the campus’ petting zoo, where William was overhead making a sweet reference to Prince George.

Getting acquainted with one of the petting zoo’s pythons, Hello reports that William mentioned his eldest child’s love of the animal, joking, “George is going to be so upset. The children are not going to believe I did this.”

William was pictured holding the snake carefully, and reportedly quipped when he was told by the handler that it was female, “I won’t ask you how you know it’s a she, we’ll talk about that later.”

Kate, meanwhile, calmly handled a tarantula (as you do), and reportedly spoke of the family’s own animals, including their “lots of chickens”.

“We’ve had lots of animals during lockdown,” Kate was overhead saying. “During lockdown, animals are often like therapy.”

Not forgetting, of course, the Cambridge family dog – a black spaniel whom they adopted from Kate’s brother, James Middleton, earlier this year.

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Kate Middleton just swapped a tennis racket for a rugby ball during her latest royal outing

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Ok, we're officially impressed.

We can hardly keep up with the Duchess of Cambridge since IRL events resumed.

Between launching her highly-anticipated Hold Still photography book, hitting the courts with US Open champ Emma Raducanu, and walking the red carpet with the starry cast of the new James Bond film, the duchess has hardly paused for breath in the past few weeks – and we’re loving every moment of it.

The latest Cambridge outing saw Prince William and Kate fly to Northern Ireland yesterday morning, where they met with university students, and even had a go at holding a giant tarantula spider that shared the name of their daughter, Princess Charlotte. (As you do.)

The surprise visit took place just hours after the royal couple joined Daniel Craig, Naomie Harris and Billie Eilish at the starry world premiere of No Time To Die at London’s Royal Albert Hall – so William and Kate would’ve been forgiven if they were looking a little bleary eyed as they went about their royal duties.

Far from it, though. After touring the University of Ulster’s Magee campus in Derry in the morning, the couple paid a visit to the City of Derry Rugby Club, where Kate showed that her sporting talents aren’t just reserved for tennis. (Emma Raducanu said her “forehand is incredible”, ICYMI.)

Nope, it turns out that the duchess is actually a dab hand at rugby, too.

Swapping her purple Emilia Wickstead trouser suit for black leggings and a Lululemon jacket, Kate took part in a kick about with the club’s players – proving that her new title as patron of the Rugby Association, which she took over from Prince Harry earlier this year, suits her down to the ground.

The royal couple also spoke with coaches, players, and volunteers participating in the “Sport Uniting Communities” programme sponsored by the Irish Football Association, Ulster Gaelic Athletic Association and Ulster Rugby, which uses sporting events to promote cross-community peace and reconciliation in the area, following years of sectarian violence wrought by the Troubles.

“Seeing all the smiling faces outside running around enjoying their sports and having a really good time is just fantastic,” William said of the visit, per Hello. “I think seeing the communities come together and being able to work together, play together, have fun together, is really important—it’s a really strong message.”

We wonder which sport the duchess will try next…

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COP26: Your complete guide to the conference, plus how you can get involved

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It marks one of the most important climate events since 2015, when the landmark Paris Agreement was reached.

Just weeks after the UN’s IPCC report hit headlines around the world, you may be feeling a little downbeat about the current climate crisis.

A quick top-line, for it you missed it: evidence from over 14,000 research papers and 234 global scientists, professors and academics has concluded that climate change is ‘getting worse, fast’ and that the impact of greenhouse gases is now ‘unavoidable’. UN secretary general Antonio Guterres called it a ‘code red for humanity’.

Prime minister Boris Johnson said on the matter: “The report makes for sobering reading, and it is clear that the next decade is going to be pivotal to securing the future of our planet. We know what must be done to limit global warming – consign coal to history and shift to clean energy sources, protect nature and provide climate finance for countries on the frontline.”

“The UK is leading the way, decarbonising our economy faster than any country in the G20 over the last two decades. I hope today’s IPCC report will be a wake-up call for the world to take action now, before we meet in Glasgow in November for the critical COP26 summit.”

FYI, the government website states that the UK is ‘already showing leadership’ with ‘clear plans to reduce emissions by 68% by 2030 and 78% by 2035, leading to net zero by 2050’.

This week, Italy is hosting Youth4Climate in Milan and in November, the UK will host COP26 in Glasgow. Scientists are calling one of the most important global events of our lifetimes – here’s why.

What is COP26? 

In short, it’s the UN’s next climate change summit. COP stands for ‘Conference of the Parties’, and has the number 26 after it because it’s the 26th year that the committee have met.

The annual event sees the heads of state from the countries that signed the UN’s Framework Convention on Climate Change get together. Over twelve days, they’ll discuss the most pressing climate change matters and try and decide a course of action for every country.

This year, the UK and Italy have been chosen to host. It’ll be held in Glasgow in November, after being post-phoned last year due to COVID-19.

It’s a pretty important annual meeting, and certainly the most important COP since the landmark Paris Agreement was reached in 2015. This year, understandably, there’s a lot to discuss – not just because the pandemic delayed discussions by a year, but because the effect climate change is having on our planet is becoming even more obvious.

So far, the event is said to be hosting around 30,000 guests from 200 countries, including Australia, France, the Netherlands, America and more.

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When is COP26 being held?

This year, the conference will be hosted in Glasgow for twelve days from 1st to 12th November 2021.

Fun fact: last time COP was held was in 2019, negotiations lasted for a whole two days longer than they were supposed too. With discussions already delayed by a year this time around, who knows how long it’ll take.

Pre-arrival, all parties have to submit documentation showing which targets they’ve reached over the past year, according to the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit.

Plus, the wealthier nations will be asked to disclose whether they’ve kept their promise of spending $100 billion yearly on climate finance.

Why is COP26 being held in Glasgow?

According to the COP26 website, Glasgow was picked for a few reasons – namely, it’s ‘experience, commitment to sustainability and world-class facilities.’

The Scottish city aims to be carbon neutral by 2030 and also ranks fourth on the Global Destination Sustainability Index, making it one of the greenest cities in the world.

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How has the UK helped climate change so far?

Again, as per the COP26 website, the UK has been ‘the fastest country in the G20 to completely decarbonise their economy since 2000’.

While there’s still a long way to go, the UK is now also the largest producer of offshore wind energy in the world, and has cut back emissions by 40% since 1990.

How you can get involved with COP26

Sadly, volunteering applications for the conference are now closed. Want to help and truly make a change to our planet? You could try go plastic free, invest in sustainable beauty products or ethical fashion brands, or even start using eco-friendly sex toys, instead.

Or, during 1st-12th November, why not host your own eco-friendly event in aid to support COP26? You heard it here first.

There’s a whole load of information out there about sustainable living, greenwashing, your carbon footprint, and climate change generally. So, let us cut through the noise and inform yourself with Marie Claire UK’s expert-led sustainability guides.

Reporting by Rosie Grant

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Sarah Everard's family describe their devastation to murderer Wayne Couzens

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"I am tormented at the thought of what she endured. I play it out in my mind," Susan Everard said in her victim impact statement.

Sarah Everard: Family's victim impact statements in full

Warning: The following article contains descriptions of violence that readers may find distressing

Over the past six months, Sarah Everard’s family have lived a nightmare no person should ever have to endure. And now, as Wayne Couzens appears in court to be sentenced for the kidnap, rape and muder of their daughter and sister, the Everard family is having to relive the painful details of Sarah’s attack.

The Old Bailey heard yesterday how former Metropolitan Police officer Couzens, who had been working within the diplomatic and parliamentary protection unit, falsely arrested Sarah Everard as she walked home from a friend’s house in Clapham, south London on 3 March. Witnesses watched Couzens show 33-year-old Sarah his warrant card before handcuffing her at around 9.35pm. He then put the young woman in his hire car and drove her 80 miles to Dover, where he went on to sexually assault and murder her.

Wayne Couzens

Sarah Everard’s mother, Susan, her father, Jeremy, sister Katie and brother James, were all in court to hear the harrowing details of her last hours. Three members of the family then bravely stood up and delivered victim impact statements in front of Wayne Couzens, urging him to understand the deep, unrelenting pain he had caused them in the brutal killing of their daughter and sister.

Susan Everard told Couzens his senseless act had left a “yawning chasm in our lives” that would never be filled. “She spent her last hours on this earth with the very worst of humanity,” she courageously told the court.

Katie Everard addressed her sister’s killer directly. “You treated Sarah as if she was nothing. Placed more emphasis on satisfying your sick disgusting perversions than on a life. Her life,” she said.

Jeremy Everard, Sarah’s grieving father, shared the unending pain that comes with knowing he will never see his daughter again. “We were looking forward to having grandchildren. We loved being a part of Sarah’s world and expected her to have a full and happy life. The closest we can get to her now is to visit her grave every day,” he said, after boldly telling Wayne Couzens to face him head on. “Mr Couzens, please, will you look at me?” he urged, while reading out his statement.

Couzens will today find out how long he faces in prison for his heinous crimes. Although it may be cathartic in part for the Everard family to see some level of justice delivered for Sarah, her dad Jeremy told his daughter’s killer: “No punishment that you receive will ever compare to the pain and torture that you have inflicted on us.”

Read the family’s devastating victim impact statements in full:

Sarah’s mother, Susan Everard’s victim impact statement:

“Sarah is gone and I am broken-hearted. She was my precious little girl, our youngest child. The feeling of loss is so great it is visceral. And with the sorrow come waves of panic at not being able to see her again. I can never talk to her, never hold her again, and never more be a part of her life. We have kept her dressing gown – it still smells of her and I hug that instead of her.

Sarah died in horrendous circumstances. I am tormented at the thought of what she endured. I play it out in my mind. I go through the terrible sequence of events. I wonder when she realised she was in mortal danger; I wonder what her murderer said to her. When he strangled her, for how long was she conscious, knowing she would die? It is torture to think of it.

Sarah was handcuffed, unable to defend herself, and there was no one to rescue her. She spent her last hours on this earth with the very worst of humanity. She lost her life because Wayne Couzens wanted to satisfy his perverted desires. It is a ridiculous reason, it is nonsensical. How could he value a human life so cheaply? I cannot comprehend it. I am incandescent with rage at the thought of it.

He treated my daughter as if she was nothing and disposed of her as if she was rubbish.

If Sarah had died because of an illness, she would have been cared for. We could have looked after her and been with her. If she had died because of an accident, people would have tried to help – there would have been kindness. But there is no comfort to be had, there is no consoling thought in the way Sarah died. In her last hours she was faced with brutality and terror, alone with someone intent on doing her harm. The thought of it is unbearable. I am haunted by the horror of it.

When Sarah went missing we suffered days of agony, not knowing where she was or what had happened to her. Then, when Sarah’s burnt remains were found, we spent two terrible days waiting for tests to show how she had died, fearing she had been set alight before she was dead – the thought was appalling.

Burning her body was the final insult, it meant we could never again see her sweet face and never say goodbye.

Our lives will never be the same. We should be a family of five, but now we are four. Her death leaves a yawning chasm in our lives that cannot be filled.

I yearn for her. I remember all the lovely things about her. She was caring, she was funny. She was clever, but she was good at practical things too. She was a beautiful dancer. She was a wonderful daughter. She was always there to listen, to advise, or simply to share with the minutiae of the day. And she was also a strongly principled young woman who knew right from wrong and who lived by those values. She was a good person. She had purpose to her life.

My outlook on life has changed since Sarah died. I am more cautious, I worry more about our other children. I crave the familiarity and security of home – the wider world has lost its appeal. It is too painful to contemplate a future without Sarah, so I just live in the here and now. I think of Sarah all the time, but the mornings and evenings are particularly painful. In the morning I wake up to the awful reality that Sarah is gone. In the evenings, at the time she was abducted, I let out a silent scream: Don’t get in the car, Sarah. Don’t believe him. Run!

I am repulsed by the thought of Wayne Couzens and what he did to Sarah. I am outraged that he masqueraded as a policeman in order to get what he wanted.

Sarah wanted to get married and have children – now all that has gone. He took her life and stole her future and we will never have the joy of sharing that future with her. Each day dawns and I think Sarah should be here, leading her life and embracing new experiences. She had so many years ahead of her.

I don’t know how anyone could be so cruel as to take my daughter’s life. What I do know is that Sarah will never be forgotten and is remembered with boundless love.

I cling on to memories of Sarah, I hold them tight to keep them safe. The other night, I dreamt that Sarah appeared at home. In my dream I held her and could feel her physically. Jeremy was there, we were comforting her, saying: ‘It’s all right Sarah, it’s all right’. I would give anything to hold her once more. I hope I dream that dream again.”

Sarah’s father, Jeremy Everard’s victim impact statement:

“There’s a photograph of my beautiful daughter on the screen. She had a beautiful mind too. Mr Couzens, please, will you look at me? The impact of what you have done will never end. The horrendous murder of my daughter, Sarah, is in my mind all the time and will be for the rest of my life.

A father wants to look after his children and fix everything, and you have deliberately and with premeditation stopped my ability to do that.

Sarah was handcuffed and unable to defend herself. This preys on my mind all the time.

I can never forgive you for what you have done, for taking Sarah away from us.

You burnt our daughter’s body — you further tortured us — so that we could not see her again. We did not know whether you had burnt her alive or dead. You stopped us seeing Sarah for one last time and stopped me from giving my daughter one last kiss goodbye.

Her body fell apart when she was moved. Her brain and neck bones were removed for months by the pathologist and her body was difficult to preserve so we had to use the services of a specialist embalmer to enable a dignified burial.

All my family want is Sarah back with us. No punishment that you receive will ever compare to the pain and torture that you have inflicted on us.

You murdered our daughter and forever broke the hearts of her mother, father, brother, sister, family and her friends.

Sarah had so much to look forward to and because of you this is now gone forever. She was saving to buy a house and looking forward to marriage and children. We were looking forward to having grandchildren. We loved being a part of Sarah’s world and expected her to have a full and happy life.

The closest we can get to her now is to visit her grave every day.”

Sarah’s sister, Katie Everard’s victim impact statement:

“You treated Sarah as if she was nothing. Placed more emphasis on satisfying your sick disgusting perversions than on a life. Her life.

You disposed of my sister’s body like it was rubbish. Fly-tipped her like she meant nothing. She meant everything. We couldn’t even see her, she was so badly burnt. Her brain was removed from her skull to check for trauma and cause of death – I still don’t know if they put her brain back in her head or whether it is lying next to her body in her coffin.

Shards of her kneecap were returned to us to be placed with her body – shards that you knocked when moving her burnt body from the fridge you had used to hide her and conceal the fire.

We are still missing her hyoid bone from her throat, which is being checked to see the force you used to strangle her, to determine how long she may have survived. We know it was broken. Her burnt body still had her necklace and one earring in her ear. The other had fallen from her ear because it had burnt off.

You hear from the police that it takes around two minutes to strangle someone, and around eight to ten seconds for them to lose consciousness.

At first there is a sense of relief at hearing that your sister might only have been aware of what was happening for eight to 10 seconds. But have you put your hands around your neck and tried pushing hard? Eight to 10 seconds now seems a long time.

You used your warrant card to trick my sister into your car. She sat in a car, handcuffed, for hours. What could she have thought she had done wrong? What lies did you tell her? When did she realise that she wasn’t going to survive the night?

I’m constantly replaying in my head – did you rape her, then kill her? Did you kill her while raping her? You get small nuggets of information and the thought process starts again. Your semen and blood were found in your car. So this suggests you raped her in the car. You find out you may have used a belt to strangle her. New horrendous images forming.

You stopped to get a Lucozade and water at a petrol station. Was she still alive at this point? Bound in your car? I am horrified by your ability to flit between what you did and normal, everyday actions. Your casual demeanour on CCTV was very upsetting and shocking to see.

We had to go to the flat and pack up Sarah’s whole life – washing left hanging up, half-sewn outfits, deliveries waiting to be returned, packages waiting at the door ready to be opened.

All signs of a life waiting to be lived, chores to be done, ready for her to return and continue when she got home. But she never got home because a predator – you – was on the loose. Prowling the streets for hours looking for his prey.

You can’t comprehend what you are being told when it happened because it is so horrific. Some sort of sick waking nightmare. You can’t imagine anyone could do such a thing.

You are waiting to hear anything from the police. Every bit you get is different. You hear her body has been found. Then you find out she has been burnt. So badly burnt you can’t see her. Can’t see her again to say goodbye.

The first thought you have in your head after despair and shock is – was she dead before you burnt her? Imagine that even having to be a thought. You find out no soot was found in her lungs, which suggests she was burnt after you murdered her. Imagine being relieved to hear your sister was dead before she was burnt.

I replay it continuously round in my head. What you may have said to her, what she may have said back, when she realised she was in grave danger and was not going to survive.

Hoping my sister was unconscious and drugged, but we know that was not the case – no drugs found in her body, no trauma to the head. Burst blood vessels in her brain from your strangulation, which meant she was conscious when you were doing these unfathomable things to her.

My only hope is that she was in a state of shock and that she wasn’t aware of the disgusting things being done to her by a monster. When you forced yourself upon and raped her. When you put your hands around her neck and strangled her.

It disgusts me that you were the last person to touch her perfect body, and violate her in the way you did. The last person to see her alive and speak to her.

How scared she must have been. The last moments of her life not with loved ones, but frightened and fighting for her life. I hate to think of her being so scared and alone and that in her last moments she had no one with her. No kindness. I hate that I wasn’t there to save her. To stop you. I find it hard to believe she is not just living her own life and sick at the thought that her last moments on this earth alive were so horrific.

How dare you take her from me? Take away her hopes and dreams. Her life. Children that will never be born. Generations that will never exist. Her future no longer exists. The future I was supposed to live with my sister no longer exists. You have ruined so many lives.

Sarah is the very best person, with so many people who love and cherish her. I want to speak to her and hug her and hear her laugh and go out for dinners and drinks and dancing.

All those conversations we can never have. There were so many things I wanted to share with her – trips abroad, being each other’s bridesmaids, meeting her babies and being an auntie, growing old together and seeing who got the most wrinkles. We weren’t even halfway through our journey and you took it all away.

I feel like I live in a make-believe world, as if nothing is real. I have to pretend because the thought of not having Sarah forever is too hard to bear. A lifetime now seems a very long time.

I should never have to write a eulogy for or bury my little sister. There is no punishment that you could receive that will ever compare to the pain you have caused us. We can never get Sarah back. The last moments of Sarah’s life play on my mind constantly. I am so disgusted and appalled. It terrifies me that you have such disregard for a person’s life. You have taken from me the most precious person. And I can never get her back.”

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“Protective” locals let Kate Middleton and Prince William enjoy low-key date nights in Norfolk

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"Norfolk is one of the few places they can just enjoy ordinary, every day experiences as a family."

It’s been an eventful few weeks for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Between the launch of Kate’s Hold Still photography book, a round of doubles with Emma Raducanu, and a trip down the red carpet with none other than James Bond himself, the typically low-key Cambridges have being enjoying a little more spotlight since IRL events resumed – and we, for one, are very pleased about it.

But when it comes to their well-earned weekends, the hard-working royals are known to head straight to the countryside; swapping their Kensington Palace apartment for Anmer Hall, their Norfolk residence close by Her Majesty’s Sandringham Estate.

A gift to the couple from the Queen while Kate was pregnant with Prince George, the couple spent much of lockdown at the picturesque Grade II-listed property, homeschooling their children and attending to royal duties via Zoom.

It’s no secret that the couple have a special relationship with Norfolk, with William crediting his late grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh for the area feeling “like home”.

The privacy that the couple are afforded in Anmer likely plays a huge role in why Kate and William feel so comfortable there. Case in point: just last weekend, the whole Cambridge clan were spotted enjoying a low-key pub lunch at one of their locals, having swapped their typically formal attire for jeans and T-shirts.

It’s not just Sunday lunch that the couple are left alone to enjoy in Norfolk, either. According to royal expert Katie Nicholl, Kate and William are given the privacy to enjoy low-key date nights, too – and it’s all thanks to the discretion of the locals.

“The locals are incredibly protective of them, you don’t often see people get out their camera phones and record them. They are left to just get on with a family occasion,” Nicholl recently told OK!

“If you speak to anyone from North Norfolk, they’re incredibly proud that William and Kate are continuing a love affair with Norfolk that goes back generations. Kate and William tend to go to the same places and these are places where they are known and have a good relationship with the landlord or landlady.”

She added, “They’ve been going to these places for a long time, so it’s not unusual and it’s not difficult for them to go and relax.

“Norfolk is one of the few places they can just enjoy ordinary, every day experiences as a family. William and Kate often go out on date nights and you don’t hear about it.”

Pub lunches and secret date nights in the rolling Norfolk countryside? Sounds idyllic, frankly.

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Britney Spears ‘on cloud nine’ as she celebrates conservatorship ruling removing her father

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The Toxic singer was unable to attend the ruling, but has still been celebrating.

BRITNEY SPEARS

In more Britney news, this week, the 39-year-old-singer celebrated her father being removed as her conservator.

Yesterday marked a breakthrough in her case as a judge vowed to suspend her father, Jamie Spears, who’s been her conservator – despite her being fit to work – for thirteen years.

Posting to Instagram afterwards, she shared a video where she’s driving a propellor plane. She wasn’t acting solo – she’s seen being guided by a qualified pilot.

In the caption, she said: “On cloud 9 right now!!!! First time flying a plane and first time in a prop plane!!! Geez I was scared!!!”

“Pssss bringing the ship home, JL … Stay classy beautiful people !!!! New pics coming soon.”

The singer didn’t go to yesterday’s hearing in person. Sources believe that she was on holiday with fiancé Sam Asghari, hence why she couldn’t make it.

Speaking to People, an insider said: “Britney and Sam are currently out of town on vacation. She wanted to take the stress off ahead of today. Of course she’s happy with the result of the hearing.”

The star lived for near thirteen years under the control of her father in the conservatorship, which ultimately had control of her decisions, finances, work life and birth control choices. One court testimony from Britney shared that she had to wear an IUD, despite asking to have it removed.

During the hearing, which happened in Los Angeles at the Superior Court, the judge, Brenda Penny, said that Britney’s father maintaining control of the conservatorship and further staying in charge of her estate was ‘untenable.’

She agreed with Britney’s lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, who said the move was in the singer’s ‘best interests.’

This doesn’t mean the conservatorship is terminated – rather, a new temporary conservator will be tasked with managing the conservatorship before another hearing to determine once and for all whether the conservatorship can be ended permanently.

Britney has been appealing for her conservatorship to be ended for years, sparking the Free Britney movement of fans campaigning for her freedom. It’s one of the longest standing conservatorships in US history, and she’s shared with several courts that she feels the situation has led to her family to abuse their power.

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Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner tried to have a meeting with the Queen, believing they were the US’s ‘Royal Family’

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Um...

Her Majesty the Queen may be one of the most recognisable figureheads in the world, but when it comes to politics, the monarch is tasked with staying completely neutral.

So while The Crown speculated about Her Majesty’s strained relationship with late Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and the internet speculated that she was subtly shading Donald Trump during a 2019 visit, we’ll never really know what The Queen’s opinions are when it comes to the ballot box.

But that doesn’t stop political figures from trying to get in her good books.

Case in point: that time Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner tried to wangle their way into a meeting with her, believing themselves to be the US’s answer to royalty.

Yep, according to a new book by a veteran of the Trump administration, Jared and Ivanka tried to win time with the Queen during a visit to the UK while Ivanka’s father was in office.

Former Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham, whose Trump-era memoir I’ll Take Your Questions Now is soon to be published in the US, claims that “Jared and Ivanka thought they were the royal family of the United States”, and tried to muscle in on the president and first lady’s meeting with the Queen – a move that would have been a breach of protocol for a state visit.

In excerpts obtained by The Washington Post, Grisham recalls how the couple’s plan failed to come to fruition because they couldn’t fit in the presidential helicopter.

The author also alleges that FLOTUS Melania Trump and the White House staff referred to Ivanka as “the Princess”, and that Ivanka would often refer to the president as “my father” in work meetings, The Post reports. Eeek.

The former press secretary also reportedly called Jared “the Slim Reaper” because of his tendency to involve himself with others people’s projects, before swiftly removing himself when problems arose.

The Queen met with Trump twice during his presidency, with ‘The Donald’ later claiming that the monarch “had the most fun in 25 years” during his visit.

Now we know that she’s supposed to remain politically neutral, but something tells us that Her Majesty may have had a few choice words to say behind closed doors in response.

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10 important learnings from Sex Education's honest portrayal of sex, relationships and sexuality

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Warning: contains Season 3 spoilers.

If you haven’t seen Sex Education Season 3 yet, quick question: where have you been?

Dropping on Netflix on 17th September, the hit show – which follows the lives of Otis, Maeve, Eric, Adam and other students at Moordale High – teaches several important messages about sex, consent, gender, sexuality and relationships.

Traditional TV narrative often sees sex portrayed in a porn-esque and frankly unrealistic manner: no-one looks like that while doing that. Sex Education, on the other hand, paints a refreshingly honest and realistic picture.

*Spoilers below*

Relationships are raw, gritty, often challenging and always complicated, in their own ways, and Sex Education shows just that – with core couples breaking up, despite you wanting them to stay together (we’re looking at you, Eric and Adam); main characters prioritising their career trajectory over love, (enjoy America, Maeve); and even the adult characters love lives highlighting that no relationship ever comes without hurdles (please for the love of god, let the baby be Jean and Jakob’s).

More frank and educational relationship and sex ed content like this isn’t just preferred, but essential: it’d do a nation of UK teens (and adults) the world of good, and continue to teach them that sex can be safe, fun and pregnancy-free, too. It’s 2021, after all, and archaic and outdated teaching when it comes to sex and relationships should be a thing of the past.

Keep reading for our favourite learnings from the show.

Sex Education season 3: 10 important learnings

1. Communication is key

An overarching theme of the season? That communication is key and, more often than not, harder to get right than you’d think.

“Each episode runs through a challenge or emotional hurdle and shows a difficult or awkward discussion point between sexual partners, which we can all relate to,” explains Ness Cooper, a sexologist and sex and relationship coach at The Sex Consultant. “The show offers not just problems, but solutions, too: some subtle but still relevant, covering sex, authentic sexuality and sexual expression, as well.”

Not only that, but Sex Education shows that sex stigma and shame can be overcome, and it’s not just something that teens navigate. Take Jean admitting that she’s had a string of sexual partners as an adult, and defending her right to do so – ‘even with more years and experience, it can be just as challenging to talk about,’ explains Cooper.

2. Confusion is common

It’s part of life, and Sex Education does an amazing job of highlighting that it’s totally, totally normal – especially if you’ve never had sex before or are trying something new. “Confusion around sex and relationships spans both teens and adults in the show, which teaches us that we need to continually keep learning throughout our lives,” Cooper shares.

Take Jean’s struggles again: even as a sex and relationships expert, she is still stigmatised in the show for being an older mother. “Even with her level of expertise, you see her having to navigate personal challenges around sex and relationships, highlighting that no one is immune to personal struggles – they’re actually quite normal, and overcoming them helps shape who we are and will become,” adds Cooper.

3. Pronouns and trans rights are important

The show’s depiction of trans rights generally should be applauded, with Cal’s storyline focusing on being discriminated upon for identifying as non-binary.

“Using the correct pronouns, standing up for trans rights and respecting those who identify as non-binary is important,” shares Cooper. “Some episodes towards the end of season 3 reminded me of section 28 (a series of British laws prohibiting ‘homosexuality promotion’ introduced by Margaret Thatcher) and even further into darker times beforehand,” the sexpert explains.

Point being, we’ve come a long way since then, and continually standing up for – and teaching – LGBTQIA+ rights shouldn’t be a question. “Many sex education programs will still try and avoid these key subject areas, and it can be hard to be open and honest with intersectionality when sex educated is regulated negatively depending on what teachers can and can’t teach,” adds Cooper.

4. Casual sex shouldn’t be stigmatised

As we’ve touched on, Jean admits she’s had a lot of causal sex in the series – but she doesn’t look back on her experiences with shame or regret, just openness and an attitude which once again frames sex as a natural human experience that shouldn’t be societally stigmatised.

“It can be very hard to accept our past sexual relationships – part of this due to learned shame and stigma,” shares Cooper. “Know this – it’s totally normal to have experiences to learn from and through. I love that Jean acknowledged her experiences were a part of her and, further, that she shouldn’t have to hide them.”

5. Those with disabilities aren’t asexual and have sexual wants, needs, and expressions, too

This one’s important. “Over time as a sex coach and sexologist, I’ve learnt that everyone has their own unique needs and wants when it comes to experiencing pleasure,” explains Cooper.

But we need to be educated about this more in schools, she stresses. “Not only this, we need to be taught that disability or illness can happen to anyone at any age and can result in a big shift from traditional sexual pleasure and enjoyment.”

Maeve and Isaac’s relationship is central to demonstrating this, with one key scene showing Maeve asking Isaac to explain where on his body he feels the most pleasure. “It’s one of the most realistic depictions of a disabled relationship I’ve seen in the media and reaffirms that yes, disabled individuals still experience pleasure,” Cooper goes on.

6. Not everyone’s sexual expectations are the same

On that topic, Sex Education does a great job of highlighting that everyone – and we mean everyone’s – sexual expectations, wants, needs, fantasies, fetishes and desires are different. Bondage for beginners or tantric sex, anyone?

Take Adam and Eric’s relationship, for example. “I loved the confusion they had over deciding sex positions – many of us have been in a similar situation, regardless of what type of sex we’re having,” she shares.

“It felt natural. More shows need to show the natural confusion, clumsiness and awkwardness that comes with sex.”

It’s only normal, and seeing it depicted on your TV screen will further affirm that you are not alone – actually, you’re in the majority, she reckons. “Another great lesson to come from this scene is the learning that sex isn’t always PIV (penis in vagina) – far from it,” she adds.

7. There’s strength in vulnerability

Hands up if you were upset (read: heartbroken) seeing Otis fail to reciprocate Ruby’s feelings mid-season? I certainly was, but doctor Katherine Hertlein, expert advisor at sex therapy app Blueheart, believes that this scene is super important in the learnings department.

“It presents a very powerful message: that it’s good to be vulnerable,” she explains. “Ruby is often portrayed as a feisty, nonchalant character, but seeing her open up and be honest with her feelings shows courage. It doesn’t matter that those feelings weren’t reciprocated by Otis – showing vulnerability means you are truly capable of having intimate relationships,” she explains.

8. There’s no such thing as perfect

Another overarching theme of the series? That life – and love – is complicated, and that’s all just about rolling with the punches.

“Whether it’s romantic relationships, family or friends, Sex Education shows us that there’s no such thing as perfect,” shares Hertlein. “We all have our unique characteristics and flaws, our bad moments and our good moments, we make good choices and bad choices.”

“The series shows that although we can try to be truly virtuous, everyone makes mistakes, and it’s okay, because we’re human. Acknowledging those mistakes and working on ourselves is really what’s important.”

Hear, hear.

9. People can – and do – change

We’re looking at you, Adam and Mr. Groff. “We saw immense character development from both Adam and his Dad in season three, despite criticism of both characters in season one,” shares Hertlein.

How so? Well, in this series, we saw Adam embrace his sexuality and we further watched as his Dad built up the courage to be completely candid and cut ties with a toxic family relationship. “After finally getting insight into Mr. Groff’s experience of humiliation, toxic masculinity and emotional neglect as a child, we’re finally able to understand his motivations and behaviour as an adult,” explains Hertlein. “When he acknowledges this, he welcomes change, and we see he is a much better person for it.”

Do know that while in reality, this won’t happen overnight – or even as quickly as we see in the show – it’s still a powerful lesson. “People can and do change for the better,” she confirms.

10. There is no such thing as normal

Finally, know this; there is no such thing as normal and whatever you’re going through, someone else will have, too.

“Despite what we might see on the outside, this series shows that there really is no such thing as normal,” concludes Hertlein. “Everyone is trying to navigate and deal with their own life struggles,” she adds.

Sex Education has confirmed it’ll be back for a fourth season – watch this space. 

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