The Queen will celebrate the transformative power of reading by appearing in a new film where she will speak of her love of literature shaped by her late father
The Queen has spoken of her passion for reading(Image: Justin Tallis/PA Wire)
The Queen is to appear in a new BBC documentary highlighting her passion for reading.
On the fifth anniversary of The Queen’s Reading Room, a project Camilla launched during the coronavirus crisis to encourage people to pick up a book, the Queen announced her new venture to promote the life-changing power of literature.
The film will celebrate the transformative power of reading through the moving, personal stories of individuals whose lives have been changed by discovering the joy of books.
In a speech at Clarence House to mark the anniversary today, Camilla said: “I find it hard to believe that it is five years since I founded it, at the height of lockdown, with the simple aim of sharing my lifelong conviction that books make life better.
“Since then, it has expanded beyond anyone’s wildest dreams, especially mine!”
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The Queen is to appear in a new BBC documentary highlighting her passion for reading(Image: PA)
In the documentary Camilla will reflect on her lifelong love of literature, sharing the childhood experiences that first sparked her passion for reading and the comfort she still finds in books.
These include personal recollections of her father, Major Bruce Shand, and his experience being held in a German prisoner-of-war camp; when reading reinforced a lifelong enthusiasm for the written word which he later imparted to his daughter.
The Queen celebrated authors from around the world, saying: “I recently came across an interesting quote from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle that I thought might make you smile, ‘The authors’ trade ought to be scheduled among the dangerous trades’.
“You are indeed dangerous people: you look into our hearts and souls to expose the unvarnished truth, with all the strengths and weaknesses of the human condition. You allow us to experience life through another’s eyes, you encourage us, you make us laugh, you make us cry, you take us on magical journeys and you create a community of book lovers that transcends almost any barrier. In short, as I said just now, you, and your books, really do make life much better.”
Queen Camilla launched the reading project during the Covid crisis(Image: PA)
Alongside The Queen, the documentary will feature individuals from a wide range of backgrounds who all share one thing – moving stories of resilience and renewal, fostered by reading.
From finding solace in a book while in prison, to overcoming deep depression through the connection of a local book club, or the inspiration to completely change their life, these stories reveal how books offer salvation, hope, joy, deep connection and fresh perspectives when people need them most.
The film will also explore the growing scientific evidence that demonstrates how reading can improve health and wellbeing it has been commissioned to mark the National Year of Reading 2026 and produced in partnership with The Open University.
An avid reader herself, Camilla is Patron of charities, including Book Aid International, First Story, Silver Stories and The National Literacy Trust.
Her first solo engagement following the Coronation in May 2023, was to Shirehampton Primary School in Bristol, where she launched the first of 50 Coronation Libraries, created by the National Literacy Trust.
Across the UK and overseas, the Queen has visited schools and libraries, as well as workplace reading schemes and prisons to see the work of adult literacy schemes. In her role as Vice-Patron of the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS), Her Majesty remains deeply involved in the RCS’s Queens Commonwealth Writing Competition – welcoming entries from young writers across the globe.
For many years, The Queen has been involved with BBC “500 Words” creative writing competition for children. This year The Queen hosted the Grand Final at Windsor Castle.
Suzy Klein, Head of BBC Arts and Classical Music TV, said: “The simple act of opening the pages of a book can be one of the most powerful and transformational choices we can make. Books aren’t trying to distract us or sell us anything, instead they take us outside our own problems and challenges to a whole new world – one we can see in our mind’s eye.
“And the power of that different point of view can deeply change our perspective on ourselves – as demonstrated by the moving, emotional stories of the contributors to this special documentary. As we mark the National Year of Reading, we hope to inspire people of all ages to pick up a book, to see the world in new ways and potentially change their own lives.
“We are especially delighted that Her Majesty The Queen, a devoted reader and champion of literature, is at the heart of this celebratory new project exploring the power of great books to change lives for the better.”