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Ozempic is in the spotlight but it’s just the latest in a long and strange history of weight-loss drugs

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laura-dawes-1445353">Laura Dawes</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877">Australian National University</a></em></p> <p>Losing weight conveniently, cheaply, safely. That’s been the holy grail of weight-loss ever since 19th century English undertaker and weight-loss celebrity William Banting’s 1863 <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/files/57545/57545-h/57545-h.htm">Letter on Corpulence</a> spruiked his “miraculous” method of slimming down.</p> <p>Since then, humans have tried many things – diet, exercise, psychotherapy, surgery – to lose weight. But time and again we return to the promise of a weight-loss drug, whether it’s a pill, injection, or tonic. A “diet drug”.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674281448#:%7E:text=Childhood%2520Obesity%2520in%2520America%2520traces,problem%2520facing%2520American%2520children%2520today.">history of diet drugs</a> is not a glowing one, however.</p> <p>There have been so many popular drug treatments for excess weight over the years. All, however, have eventually lost their shine and some have even been banned.</p> <h2>Ozempic is a recent arrival</h2> <p><a href="https://www.novonordisk.com/our-products/our-medicines.html">Ozempic and its sister drug Wegovy</a>, both manufactured by Novo Nordisk, are the latest offerings in a long history of drug treatments for people who are overweight. They contain the same active ingredient – semaglutide, which mimics a hormone, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1544319118303273">GLP-1</a> (glucagon-like peptide-1) that acts on the hypothalamus (the brain’s “hunger centre”) to regulate appetite.</p> <p>As an obesity treatment, semaglutide appears to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5573908/">work</a> in part by reducing appetite.</p> <p>These are injections. And there can be <a href="https://www.novonordisk.com.au/content/dam/nncorp/au/en/pdfs/Ozempic-1mg-cmi-v3.0.pdf%22%22">side effects</a>, most commonly nausea and diarrhoea.</p> <p>Although marketed as treatments for chronic obesity and diabetes, they have <a href="https://www.forbes.com/health/body/ozempic-for-weight-loss/#footnote_1">exploded in popularity</a> as diet drugs, largely thanks to social media.</p> <p>This has helped drive a <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/safety/shortages/information-about-major-medicine-shortages/about-ozempic-semaglutide-shortage-2022-and-2023#:%7E:text=Why%2520the%2520Ozempic%2520shortage%2520happened,label%2520prescribing%2520for%2520weight%2520loss.">shortage of Ozempic</a> for diabetes treatment.</p> <h2>From ‘gland treatment’ to amphetamines</h2> <p>But Ozempic is not the first weight-loss drug. For example, organotherapy (gland treatment) was <a href="https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674281448#:%7E:text=Childhood%20Obesity%20in%20America%20traces,problem%20facing%20American%20children%20today.">hugely popular</a> in the 1920s to 1940s.</p> <p>It rode on a wave of enthusiasm for endocrinology and specifically the discovery that “ductless glands” – such as the thyroid, pituitary and renal glands – secreted chemical messengers (or “hormones”, as they came to be known).</p> <p>These hormones coordinate the activities and growth of different parts of the body.</p> <p>Doctors prescribed overweight people extracts of animal glands – either eaten raw or dried in pill form or injected – to treat their <a href="https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674281448#:%7E:text=Childhood%20Obesity%20in%20America%20traces,problem%20facing%20American%20children%20today.">supposedly “sluggish glands”</a>.</p> <p>For slaughterhouse companies, this was a lucrative new market for offal.</p> <p>But organotherapy soon fell from favour. There was no evidence excess weight was usually caused by underperforming glands or that gland extracts (thyroid in particular) were doing anything other than <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21741-thyrotoxicosis">poisoning you</a>.</p> <p><a href="https://nyupress.org/9780814776391/on-speed/">Amphetamines</a> were first used as a nasal decongestant in the 1930s, but quickly found a market for weight-loss.</p> <p>Why they worked was complex. The drug operated on the hypothalamus but also had an effect on mental state. Amphetamine is, of course, an “upper”.</p> <p>The theory was it helped people feel up to dieting and gave pleasure not found on a plate. Amphetamines too, <a href="https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/full/10.2105/AJPH.2007.110593">fell from treatment use</a> in the 1970s with Nixon’s “war on drugs” and recognition they were addictive.</p> <h2>Another decade, another drug</h2> <p>Each decade seems to produce its own briefly popular weight-loss drug.</p> <p>For example, the popular <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/23/science/how-fen-phen-a-diet-miracle-rose-and-fell.html">diet drug</a> of the 1980s and 90s was fen-phen, which contained appetite suppressants fenfluramine and phentermine.</p> <p>During the height of its craze, vast numbers of users testified to dramatic weight loss. But after users experienced heart valve and lung disease, fen-phen was <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9688104/">withdrawn</a> from the market in 1997. Its producer allocated a <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-08-23/pfizer-asks-end-to-fen-phen-suits-linked-to-lung-ailment">reported US$21 billion</a> to settle the associated lawsuits.</p> <p>The hormone <a href="https://www.webmd.com/obesity/features/the-facts-on-leptin-faq">leptin</a> aroused excitement in the mid-1990s. Leptin seemed, for a brief moment, to hold the key to how the hypothalamus regulated fat storage.</p> <p>Pharmaceutical company Amgen <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.7732366">wagered millions</a> buying the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30532682/">rights</a> to the research in the hope this discovery could be turned into a treatment, only to discover it didn’t translate from mice into people. Far from not having enough leptin, people with obesity tend to be <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/leptin-101">leptin-resistant</a>. So taking more leptin doesn’t help with weight-loss. Amgen <a href="https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2009/01/obesity-reviving-the-promise-of-leptin/">sold</a> the rights it had paid so much for.</p> <p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ephedra-sinica">Ephedra</a> was popular as a weight-loss treatment and as a stimulant in the 1990s and 2000s, finding buyers among athletes, body builders and in the military.</p> <p>But the US Food and Drug Administration <a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Ephedra.aspx">banned</a> the sale of dietary supplements containing ephedra in 2004 after it was linked to <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmc1502505">health problems</a> ranging from heart attacks and seizures to strokes and even death, and in Australia ephedra is <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2023L00864">prescription-only</a>.</p> <p>Now we have Ozempic. Just because the history of diet drugs has <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3362858/">been so dire</a>, we shouldn’t jump to conclusions about new ones – Ozempic is not a drug of the 1920s or 1960s or 1990s.</p> <p>And as <a href="https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674281448#:%7E:text=Childhood%2520Obesity%2520in%2520America%2520traces,problem%2520facing%2520American%2520children%2520today.">history recognises</a>, multiple complexities can combine to push a drug into popularity or damn it to history’s rubbish bin.</p> <p>These include patients’, physicians’ and industry interests; social attitudes about drug treatment; evidence about safety and efficacy; beliefs and knowledge about the cause of excess weight.</p> <p>One noticeable contrast with past diet drug experiences is that now, many people are <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/22/well/ozempic-diabetes-weight-loss.html">happy to talk</a> about using Ozempic. It seems to be increasingly socially acceptable to use a drug to achieve weight-loss for primarily aesthetic reasons.</p> <p>(Due to Ozempic shortages in Australia, though, doctors have been <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/safety/shortages/medicine-shortage-alerts/ozempic-semaglutide-supply-update">asked</a> to direct current supplies to people with type 2 diabetes who satisfy certain criteria. In other words, it’s not really meant to be used just to treat obesity).</p> <h2>Our enduring search for weight-loss drugs</h2> <p>Ozempic is predicted to earn Novo Nordisk <a href="https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/comment/novo-nordisk-ozempic/">US$12.5 billion this year alone</a>, but it’s not just industry interests stoking this enduring desire for weight-loss drugs.</p> <p>Patients on an endless cycle of dieting and exercise want something more convenient, with a more certain outcome. And doctors, too, want to offer patients effective treatment, and a drug prescription is a workable option given the constraints of appointment times.</p> <p>The body positivity movement has not yet ousted anti-fat bias or stigma. And despite <a href="https://www.who.int/teams/health-promotion/enhanced-wellbeing/first-global-conference">decades of recognition</a> of the major role our physical and social environment plays in human health, there’s little political, public or industry appetite for change.</p> <p>Individuals are left to personally defend against an obesogenic environment, where economic, cultural, social, health and urban design policies can conspire to make it easy to gain weight but hard to lose it. It is no wonder demand for weight-loss drugs continues to soar.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/209324/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laura-dawes-1445353"><em>Laura Dawes</em></a><em>, Research Fellow in Medico-Legal History, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877">Australian National University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/ozempic-is-in-the-spotlight-but-its-just-the-latest-in-a-long-and-strange-history-of-weight-loss-drugs-209324">original article</a>.</em></p>

Body

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Am I ever gonna see your face again? Nuanced and thoughtful, Kickin’ Down the Door puts The Angels back in the spotlight

<p>When I was a kid, my dad Max took me to basketball games at Melbourne’s Entertainment Centre. I’d wait in my plastic bucket chair as the cheerleaders shook their pom poms and the teams did lay ups. The music was loud, and around the time everyone had found their seats, one song would often come on. </p> <p>It opened with a wailing, single note guitar, followed by a chunky, palm muted riff, driving along until bursting into the chorus when the vocals would demand “Am I ever gonna see your face again?” And as I licked my lemonade icy pole I’d delight as the whole stadium would <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/australia-culture-blog/2014/apr/15/australian-anthems-the-angels-am-i-ever-gonna-see-your-face-again">chant back</a> “No way, get fucked, fuck off.”</p> <p>I had no idea the band was called The Angels. I didn’t know they were supposed to be the next AC/DC but didn’t quite “make it”. The intense relationships at their core were lost on me. I was just delighted by how wild it felt, this song the audience owned, breaking rules, answering back. </p> <p>A new documentary, Kickin’ Down the Door chronicles Australian band The Angels across four decades, from suburban Adelaide to the gloss of <a href="https://themusic.com.au/news/iconic-alberts-music-studios-to-be-torn-down-to-make-way-for-luxury-apartments/wSnS1dTX1tk/08-10-15">Albert Studios</a>and beyond.</p> <p>The classic Oz rock vibe is omnipresent: dudes, riffs, volume. </p> <p>But this story’s star quality is how hard it works to showcase the band from both front of house and backstage, offering something far more nuanced than the well-thumbed tale of these national music icons.</p> <h2>Finding intensity</h2> <p>The documentary centres on the songwriting team of the Brewster brothers, vocalist Bernard “Doc” Neeson, and a revolving cast of drummers, bass players and producers. </p> <p>The themes are what you might like in a documentary about Australian rock ‘n’ roll: journeys to adulthood, mateship, resistance, lashings of hope, dollops of luck. Interviews from the band and their nearest and dearest sidle up against archival footage with cute animations bridging scenes. </p> <p>There’s the ubiquitous drop-in from a couple of international names to provide cred – thankfully a Bono-free endeavour. There’s a slither of pre-hat Molly Meldrum. The eye candy of 70s and 80s Aussie life abounds.</p> <p>The songs are central to Kickin’ Down the Door, but rock ‘n’ roll has always been about theatre, and front man Doc Neeson’s lead in creating an unsettling intensity at live shows lifted The Angels beyond the meat and potatoes of standard Oz rock.</p> <p>In one scene, the lighting guy talks about how Doc used silence and darkness as a tool of intensity – the antithesis of rock show bombast.</p> <h2>A complex portrait</h2> <p>Like The Angels did with rock ‘n’ roll, Kickin’ Down the Door offers a key change in the way it positions the people behind the scenes. Director Madeleine Parry has brought together a complex web of relationships pivoting on creative jubilation, obligation, devotion and estrangement.</p> <p>At an early gig, the Brewsters’ mother is recalled as dancing on a table in a “sea of blokes”. These were her boys, who could do no wrong.</p> <p>Mothers, girlfriends, wives and children are elevated close to the story’s centre, anchored within the nostalgic rhythm of white suburban Australian life to contrast with the band’s sprint – then marathon – to rock ‘n’ roll stardom. Beyond the band bubble, everyone’s sacrifice is apparent.</p> <p>“We all supplied the stability while they chased the dream,” says Neeson’s then partner. </p> <p>In bringing women to the front, Parry frames the main players as multi-dimensional, emotional and expressive. The intensity of volume, riffage and flamboyance sits in dialogue with each band members’ reflections to present the way that “performance” seamlessly slides across gender and genre.</p> <p>This deep thoughtfulness shines through the dizzying foray of complex legal and financial arrangements bands can be thrown into, setting them up with lifelong debt. </p> <p>This is the persistent myth of “luck” in rock ‘n’ roll. This myth grinds against the power imbalance inherent in an incredibly competitive, brutal and sometimes hedonistic global business culture. For decades, rock ‘n’ roll has relied on the exploitation of artists who sacrifice family, health, economic security and friendships to have sustainable careers.</p> <p>This documentary skilfully weaves the devastation that comes when these pressures evaporate years of work for bands and their teams. </p> <p>It isn’t so much a story about the big bad music industry swallowing up another Australian wanna be. Rather, it is a well-crafted assemblage of the pervasive way rock ‘n’ roll’s mystique works behind the scenes, prioritising profits over health and wellbeing, and the sustainability of artists and their families.</p> <h2>The sonic legacy</h2> <p>Undoubtedly the biggest names now in Australian guitar driven music – Amyl and the Sniffers, Courtney Barnett, King Gizzard &amp; the Lizard Wizard, Tame Impala – are part of the sonic legacy of bands like The Angels. </p> <p>But they also show a marked shift in how they do business when courting international markets, maintaining elements of independence and control that The Angels had no blueprint for.</p> <p>This current crop of bands also show we are on the road to far better gender representation of what contemporary rock music looks and sounds like. And in other genres, artists like Baker Boy, Genesis Owusu, Barkaa and Jaguar Jonze continue to contest and take ownership of “the sound” of Australian music. </p> <p>Incidentally, I never went on to play basketball. I picked up an electric guitar instead.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/am-i-ever-gonna-see-your-face-again-nuanced-and-thoughtful-kickin-down-the-door-puts-the-angels-back-in-the-spotlight-194057" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</em></p>

Music

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What Olivia Newton-John wanted after her death

<p dir="ltr">A never before seen interview of Olivia Newton-John before her tragic death has aired on TV.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Grease star lost her battle with breast cancer on August 8 when she passed away peacefully at the age of 73.</p> <p dir="ltr">Olivia appeared in a special interview on <em>Spotlight: Olivia - A Magical Life</em> where she explained what she wanted to happen when she died.</p> <p dir="ltr">The beloved singer said she wanted her ashes to be scattered in Byron Bay, California and “in other places I love”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Olivia’s late mother and sister also had their ashes scattered in the popular holiday destination.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I don’t think I’ve really thought about it that deeply. We all should,” Olivia said in the interview.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But I’d like to be with them, I’d like to be with them … that would be nice.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/honouring-dame-olivia-newton-john" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news of Olivia’s passing</a> was announced by her husband John Easterling on Instagram via his late wife’s account, and included an appeal to continue her good works in the field of cancer research:</p> <p dir="ltr">“Dame Olivia Newton-John (73) passed away peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends. We ask that everyone please respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time,” he wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience with plant medicine continues with the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, dedicated to researching plant medicine and cancer. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that any donations be made in her memory to the @onjfoundation."</p> <p dir="ltr">Her daughter Chloe also shared a series of <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/no-words-emotional-images-from-olivia-newton-john-s-daughter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">heartwarming photos</a> upon the news breaking as celebrities and fans alike offered their condolences.</p> <p dir="ltr">The family have also accepted a state funeral from Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Seven</em></p>

Caring

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Radiant as ever! Meghan and Harry return to spotlight

<p><span>Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are returning to the spotlight by teaming up with young activists to change the online scene.</span><br /><br /><span>The couple made a special appearance from their new home in Santa Barbara with leaders from the Queen's Commonwealth Trust who are working to make digital media a force for good.</span><br /><br /><span>While speaking via video call, Harry joked about feeling old.</span><br /><br /><span>"You've got to stop, we're not old!" Meghan replied.</span><br /><br /><span>"But it's true," Harry said. "This is the world you're going to inherit."</span><br /><br /><span>Meghan quickly added, "And Archie!"</span><br /><br /><span>"And Archie," Harry repeated. "It's on all of us collectively to make the world a better place...and we are."</span><br /><br /><span>Chief executive of the QCT Nicola Brentnall led the 30-minute conversation.</span><br /><br /><span>He managed to bring together four young leaders working to make the digital space safe for everyone: Brighton Kaoma, Founder of Agents of Change Foundation in Zambia; Hunter Johnson, Founder of The Man Cave in Australia; Rosie Thomas, Co-Founder of Project Rockit in Australia; and Vee Kativhu, Study &amp; Empowerment YouTuber and Founder of "Empowered by Vee."</span><br /><br /><span>Prince Harry, 35, spoke about Queen Elizabeth's goals in the modern Commonwealth.</span><br /><br /><span>He spoke about the importance of young people having a voice due to the ever-changing digital landscape.</span><br /><br /><span>"I think everything my grandmother wanted to achieve when she took this huge responsibility on, she’s managed," he said.</span><br /><br /><span>"Hearing you guys, and knowing the broad spectrum that QCT engulfs, you’re the definition of the 21st century Commonwealth, and what it means to be part of it. You are there, standing for equality, for mutual respect and for fairness."</span><br /><br /><span>Meghan, 39, also spoke during the digital conversation, and spoke about how the coronavirus pandemic has driven people online to connect.</span><br /><br /><span>"Everyone's mental and emotional well-being are perhaps more fragile than ever before, certainly with COVID and our dependability on devices right now in the absence of human interaction," she said.</span><br /><br /><span>“People are going online more than ever before to feel community."</span></p>

Real Estate

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Boris Johnson’s girlfriend steals the spotlight: Meet Carrie Symonds

<p>As Boris Johnson, 55, walked into 10 Downing Street as the new Prime Minister, many eyes were focused on his girlfriend.</p> <p>Carrie Symonds, 31, watched on from the sidelines as her partner entered the famous residence alone.</p> <p>A majority of new prime ministers pose for photos with their partners outside the house, but Johnson left Symonds in the cold.</p> <p>It’s been suggested that this is a deliberate move so that she wouldn’t “overshadow” his moment, according to British media.</p> <p>Johnson has been married twice before – first to Allegra Mostyn-Owen from 1987 until 1993,</p> <p><span>and then to Barrister Marina Wheeler from 1993 to 2018. He has four children with his second wife and has admitted to fathering a lovechild after an affair with Helen Macintyre in 2013.</span></p> <p>Nicholas Allan, lecturer in politics at London’s Royal Holloway University, has said that it would be considered “indiscreet” for Johnson to enter the residence with his new girlfriend.</p> <p>“It is difficult for him to walk into Downing Street with another woman when you are still technically married to someone else. That would be considered indiscreet,” Mr Allen told <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1157444/boris-johnson-girlfriend-carrie-symonds-number-10-downing-street-pictures-news-latest" target="_blank">Express</a></em>.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7828991/boris-girlfriend.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/d0206ecb3e8544d085d4c8758dd7b549" /></p> <p>“Boris’s colourful personal life makes the traditional photo call problematic.”</p> <p>Symonds wore a pink, floral midi dress from Ghost, which retails for £120 ($A215).</p> <p>The dress “features a high neckline with back fastening and voluminous sleeves and seam detailing at the bodice for definition,” according to the shop’s website.</p> <p>Johnson has refused to answer questions about whether or not Symonds or the nation’s "First Girlfriend” will move in.</p> <p>“I just don’t talk about people I love," he said last week, according to <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/boris-johnsons-girlfriend-carrie-symonds-steals-the-spotlight-on-his-first-day-in-office/news-story/6646083a4e4bf039179f20065e468856" target="_blank">news.com.au</a>.</em>  </p> <p>“They can’t speak for themselves and you drag them into subjects and areas of controversy and discussion that they don’t, in my view, deserve or want.”</p> <p>Johnson and Symonds have reportedly been living together after the new UK Prime Minister confirmed he split from his second wife last year.</p>

News

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Archie’s first official outing! The royal babies steal the spotlight from their dads

<p>The royal children have stolen the limelight from their dads, Prince William and Prince Harry, who battled it out on the field in the King Power Royal Charity Polo Day.</p> <p>Royal supporters have gotten a rare glimpse into the private lives of Duchess Kate and Duchess Meghan who brought their royal children to cheer on their dads.</p> <p>It is the first time the public has gotten to see baby Archie with his three older cousins, and fans were not disappointed.</p> <p>The Duchess of Cambridge was first seen with her youngest son Prince Louis in her arms while Prince George and his younger sister Princess Charlotte were spotted at Billingbear Polo Club, in Berkshire, southwest of London.</p> <p>The Duchess of Sussex was also out with baby Archie in a white onesie just days after being christened.</p> <p>The new mother enjoyed her day out with her newborn son, nephews and niece in a loose-fitting, olive coloured caftan by Lisa Marie Fernandez, and chose to finish the look with oversized sunnies and tousled hair.</p> <p>The Duchess of Cambridge went for a pink printed chiffon frock by L.K. Bennett with tan espadrilles and red crossbody.</p> <p>The tall heels didn’t seem to stop her from running after her flamboyant 15-month-old son Prince Louis, who enjoyed his time playing in the grass.</p> <p>Prince George and Princess Charlotte caused a delightful muck all on their own with the 5-year-old was dressed in a polo t-shirt and shorts while 4-year-old Charlotte was sporting a floral pink dress.</p> <p>The whole family cheered on Prince William and Harry from the sidelines, however, it was the oldest brother whose team took out the win. The Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex were playing for the Khun Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha Memorial Polo Trophy in honour of the Leicester City Football Club owner, who tragically died in a helicopter crash last year.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to the royal family's rare day out together. </p>

News

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Spotlight on Steve Martin

<p>Hollywood funny man Steve Martin is turning 74 this year. We uncovered some of his lesser-known – though impressive – achievements.</p> <ul> <li>Since appearing in his first movie, The Absent-Minded Waiter (1977), Steve Martin has gone on to appear in over 50 movies, including The Jerk (1979), Planes, Train and Automobiles (1987), Father of the Bride (1991), and The Pink Panther (2006).</li> <li>He is an accomplished banjo player and this year was inducted into the American Banjo Museum Hall of Fame.</li> <li>He has won four Grammy Awards for his comedy acts and music.</li> <li>In 2014, his song “Love Has Come for You” won Best American Roots Song.</li> <li>He may have played the father of 12 kids in Cheaper By the Dozen (2003) but only became a first-time dad at the age of 67 in December 2012.</li> <li>Famous for his thick white hair, he began going grey in his twenties.</li> <li>While at California State University in the ’60s, he studied philosophy and considered becoming a professor.</li> </ul> <p><em>This article first appeared in </em><a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/entertainment/Spotlight-on-Steve-Martin"><em>Reader’s Digest</em></a><em>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, </em><a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=articles&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;keycode=WRN93V"><em>here’s our best subscription offer</em></a></p> <p><img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" /></p>

Movies

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Prince William and Prince Harry’s step-siblings you never see in the spotlight

<p><span>The royal family members are some of the most recognisable personalities in the world, with the main members of the monarch frequenting major events.</span></p> <p><span>The Queen, Prince Charles and Camilla, Prince William and Kate and Prince Harry and Meghan currently hold the most important roles throughout the monarch, but what about the lesser known, extended family members?</span></p> <p><span>They may be close to the royal family, but they remain very much in the background. We’re talking about Prince William and Prince Harry’s step-siblings.</span></p> <p><span>After Prince Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles on April 9, 2005, he also welcomed her children from her previous marriage.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and Laura – Camilla’s two children from her first husband Andrew Parker Bowles – have created a name for themselves in their own right.</span></p> <p><span>Tom Parker Bowles, 45, is a successful food writer and critic, and also stars as a judge on Nine’s</span><em><span> Family Food Fight</span></em><span>.</span></p> <p><span>But despite knowing his way around the kitchen, he has mentioned how he refuses to cook with his mother.</span></p> <p><span>“My mother and I argue in the kitchen. If we were on </span><em><span>Family Food Fight </span></em><span>we’d last five minutes,” he said in 2018.</span></p> <p><span>Tom has two children of his own with his wife Sara Buys – a 12-year-old daughter, Lola, and a nine-year-old son, Freddy.</span></p> <p><span>Prince William and Harry’s remaining step-sister is Laura Lopes, 41, who in 2006, married accountant Harry Lopes.</span></p> <p><span>Despite being linked to the most famous family in the world, Laura chooses to keep a low profile but is known to share a close relationship with her step-brothers.</span></p> <p><span>Both William and Harry, along with Kate, were present at Laura’s wedding.</span></p> <p><span>During Prince William and Kate’s wedding in 2011, Laura’s daughter Eliza was one of the bridesmaids and was photographed with Prince Charles on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.</span></p> <p><span>Laura is also a mother to twin boys, Gus and Louis, 10.</span></p> <p><span>Scroll through the gallery above to see Prince William and Harry’s lesser known step-siblings. </span></p>

Family & Pets

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Kate Middleton steals the spotlight at the 2017 Portrait Gala

<p>The Duchess of Cambridge looked radiant as she attended the 2017 Portrait Gala in a floor length green gown by Temperley London.</p> <p>The event held at the National Portrait Gallery raised money to allow iconic portraits to be loaned to other institutions.</p> <p>Kate accessorised her gown with a gold glitter clutch bag by Wilbur and Gussie and Jimmy Choo gold heels.</p> <p>The Duchess was also wore dazzling green amethyst and pave diamond Candy earrings in 18ct yellow gold by Kiki McDonough.</p> <p>Kate was at the Gala as a patron of the gallery as she is a former art student at St Andrew’s.</p> <p>Upon arriving at the event, the Duchess was greeted by the director of the National Portrait Gallery, Dr Nicholas Cullinan.</p> <p>She was shown around an exhibition by artist Howard Hodgkin titled ‘Absent Friends’ which included the last work before his death.</p> <p>During the night, she also met two fellow parents from Prince George’s new school.</p> <p>Kate was introduced to Richard Found and his wife Jane Suitor who revealed their child also attends</p> <p>Thomas’s School in Battersea where Prince George will start in September.</p> <p>“We were chatting about Thomas', the school George will be going to,” said Mr Found after his introduction to the Duchess.</p> <p>“We're parents there as well. She just said ‘I may see you at the school gates’.”</p> <p>Earl Spencer, Princess Diana’s brother, attended the gala alongside his wife Karen, Countess Spencer.</p> <p>Donna Air who is dating James Middleton, Kate’s younger brother, arrived at the gallery in a pink lace dress.</p> <p>Kate appearance at this engagement follows the news the she will soon embark on a solo visit to Luxembourg on May 11. Kensington Palace confirmed the trip that has been planned around events in commemoration of the 1867 Treaty of London.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Doug Peters via EMPICS Entertainment and WENN.com</em></p>

News

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10 celebrity couples whose love withstood the spotlight

<p>Some celebrity marriages only last a manner of days. With paparazzi, hectic work schedules and what we imagine to be some pretty serious pre-nuptial agreements, it’s no wonder that many couples crack under the pressure of the spotlight.</p> <p>These 10 loved up couples are the exception to the rule, proving that true love can stand the test of both time and gossip magazines.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see 10 celebrity couples that prove love in the spotlight can last. Did your favourites make the list?</p> <ol> <li>Michael Caine and Shakira Baksh – 43 years</li> <li>Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick – 28 years</li> <li>Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan – 28 years</li> <li>Denzel and Pauletta Washington – 39 years</li> <li>Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell – 33 years</li> <li>Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson – 28 years</li> <li>Kirk Douglas and Anne Buydens – 62 years together</li> <li>Bono and Alison Hewson – 34 years</li> <li>Jamie Lee Curtis and Christopher Guest – 32 years</li> <li>Meryl Streep and Don Gummer – 37 years</li> </ol> <p>Who’s the longest lasting couple you know and how long have they been together? Let us know in the comments below.  </p> <p><strong><em>Looking for love – or perhaps you just want to meet some new people? <a href="https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/clk/300422191;127409031;k" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Why not sign up at RSVP today by clicking here… You never know who is just around the corner.</span></a></em></strong></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/relationships/2016/08/most-iconic-couples-in-history/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">10 of the most iconic couples in history</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/relationships/2016/08/how-do-you-cope-when-you-lose-your-life-partner/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">How do you cope when you lose your life partner?</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/relationships/2016/08/choices-that-will-lead-to-your-best-love-life-ever/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">10 choices that will lead to your best love life ever</span></em></strong></a></p>

Relationships

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Dogs on surfboards steal spotlight at Festival of Surfing

<p>For most dogs, the only physical activity they’ll be getting up to today will probably involve fetching a plush toy from the lounge room, figuring out which end of the couch to lie on, or perhaps digging up some gardenias from their backyard.</p> <p>But the playful pooches in this video aren’t like most dogs.</p> <p>These dogs are part of the Dog Spectacular at the Noosa Festival of Surfing, the only surfing event in the world where a master and dog compete as a team.</p> <p>Dogs of all breeds and ages padded out with their owners for some pure, surf-loving fun as the catch the perfect waves on pristine Noosa Beach.</p> <p> “It’s a wonderful experience for dog and human,” said Festival Co-Founder Paul Jarratt. “It’s not really about winning or losing; it’s a celebration of all the good things we love about surfing, the ocean and environment that we are privileged to have in Noosa. I think that’s why we attract surfers and their families from all over the world, we’ve got 20 countries represented this year.”</p> <p>To see some of the highlights from this year’s competition watch the video above. Don’t you think the dogs look like they’re having fun?</p> <p>Or do you think it’s wrong for dogs to be surfing?</p> <p>Share your thoughts in the comments.</p> <p><em>Video: YouTube / NoosaSurfFestival</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/06/this-hilariously-awkward-dog-is-stealing-hearts/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">This hilariously awkward dog is stealing hearts</span></strong></em></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/06/puppy-born-without-back-paws-gets-second-chance-at-life/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Puppy born without back paws gets second chance at life</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/06/how-to-cope-with-a-jealous-pet-when-grandkids-come-along/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>How to cope with a jealous pet when grandkids come along</strong></em></span></a></p>

International Travel

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Canada Spotlight: Rocky Mountain High

<p>With landscapes that leave you breathless at every turn and its warm, friendly people, Canada stirs the soul like few destinations can. The best way to see it is on board The Rocky Mountaineer.</p> <p><strong>Getting There</strong></p> <p>I’m not going to lie to you. The flight to Canada is longer than the list of reasons of why I should win Lotto, but it’s worth every Frequent Flyer mile you’ll earn, and then some.</p> <p>Checking in to Vancouver’s <a href="http://www.fairmont.com" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Fairmont Pacific Rim</strong></span></a> will put the spring back in your step fairly quickly. After a lush two-night stay, eating almost every morsel the hotel’s four restaurants have to offer and working it off by cycling around the Seaside Bike Path, I kissed both my jetlag and Vancouver behind and embarked on the next leg of my journey - from Vancouver to the awe-inspiring Lake Louise on the iconic <a href="http://www.rockymountaineer.com" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Rocky Mountaineer</strong></span></a>.</p> <p><strong> All Aboard</strong></p> <p>The Rocky Mountaineer offers three levels of service on all journeys. Gold Leaf has reserved seating in a bi-level domed carriage featuring panoramic views on the upper level, fine dining on the lower level and an open bar once you near lunchtime. There’s also an outside vestibule, where you can inhale fresh mountain air and admire the incredible scenery.</p> <p>Equally as fun though, are the less expensive Silver and Redleaf Services, which also offer meals and beverages, assigned seats and individual attention.</p> <p><strong> Fine Dining</strong></p> <p>The Goldleaf dining car serves a la carte warm breakfast choices, and for lunch there’s a choice of several Five Star dishes, including local wild caught salmon. Despite the restrictions of cooking on a moving train, the food is on par with any hatted restaurant I’ve eaten at.</p> <p><strong>Spectacular Scenery</strong></p> <p>As the train weaves through the Rocky Mountains up to Lake Louise, the colours and views change from lush, green foliage set against majestic cliffs to wide, pristine lakes and gurgling streams and rivers. If you’re lucky, you might spot bears, elk and deer.</p> <p>With the setting sun, the train pulled in to the picturesque town of Kamloops, where we overnighted at <a href="http://www.hotel540.ca" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Hotel 540</span></strong></a>.  Kamloops is a quaint town filled with charm and typical Canadian hospitality. It has a thriving arts, culture and heritage scene all year round. There’s also an abundance of outdoor activities to get involved in, like kayaking, golf, dirt biking, fly fishing, rock climbing, wagon rides, swimming and of course, eating. <br /> <br /> I had no time to get active on my overnight stay, but choosing a restaurant wasn’t easy. With hundreds of options including Japanese, Italian, traditional American fare, Mediterranean, Mexican and so much more, you’d need a month to sample all on offer. I unearthed a cosy, pub-style diner called Tumbleweed’s Neighbourhood Pub, where we ate hearty meals to an aural backdrop of a local folk group performing. It was perfect.</p> <p><strong>Glacier Delights</strong></p> <p>A delicious breakfast in the dining car got the next day started on a happy note and it just got increasingly better. Today’s trip was a kaleidoscope of glistening glaciers, snow capped mountains and the most pristine, azure blue waterways I’ve ever seen.  Before I knew it, I was in Lake Louise, and it was to be one of the most spectacular experiences of my life.</p> <p>Also known as the “Jewel of the Canadian Rockies,” Lake Louise is set in a small glacial valley surrounded by majestic mountains. Imagine if you will, the sparkling blue of a husky’s eye and then triple its intensity. You’d then have a fairly close idea of the pinch-me-I’m-dreaming colour of this pure, untouched lake.</p> <p><strong>Living the dream</strong></p> <p>Checking in to the Fairmont Lake Louise Chateau (<a href="http://www.fairmont.com">www.fairmont.com</a>) was like arriving at a fairytale castle, complete with European style architecture, enormous rooms and high ceiling. But the drawcard is undoubtedly that Lake, which I had the privilege of canoeing on later (it’s an option for all guests, but it does indeed, feel like a privilege).</p> <p>Dipping my hand in the gemstone coloured water was surreal – it was like a sheet of tinted glass that rippled at human touch.</p> <p>That night, I enjoyed a casual dinner in the Hotel’s Lakeview Lounge, followed by a few nightcaps at it’s friendly basement bar, The Glacier Saloon.  The Hotel boasts seven eating spots, from fine dining to deli, and a full room service menu.</p> <p><strong>The Journey Ends</strong></p> <p>The following day was taken up drinking in the view and eating at the sumptuous Fairmont Dining Room. I also enjoyed a spot of shopping in the lobby’s many and varied stores, and then it was time to go.</p> <p>I want to say that The Rocky Mountaineer is a once in a lifetime experience, but you’ll want to go back it every year. I know that I do. In fact, there was one woman in our cabin who was on her twenty-seventh journey in just 11 years and said she had no intention of ever stopping. I can certainly see why, and you should most certainly find out why for yourself. </p>

International Travel

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