Queen Camilla has highlighted the transformative impact of books during an event at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, where she launched the latest phase of the Queen’s Reading Room initiative, a charity she established following the success of her Instagram book club during the COVID-19 pandemic. The programme has grown into a global community engaging millions of readers from over 180 countries, with a focus on sharing book recommendations and donating volumes to women’s refuges and homeless shelters.
Speaking at the festival on Friday, Camilla emphasized her personal passion for literature, describing books as having “life-enhancing power” and affirming her commitment to spreading that love beyond traditional literary circles. The event at Chatsworth House also featured prominent contributors and guests from the literary world, including broadcaster Reeta Chakrabarti, author Gyles Brandreth, thriller writer Lee Child, and Turkish-British novelist Elif Shafak.
The event comes amid renewed public attention on the royal family following the recent publication of a memoir by Earl Spencer, the brother of the late Diana, Princess of Wales. Excerpts from the memoir raised critical allegations against King Charles, prompting an unusually direct response from Buckingham Palace, which stated that “the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason.” Spencer subsequently accused the palace of “gaslighting” in its reply, describing the rebuttal as “astonishingly provocative” and suggesting it implicitly questioned the truthfulness of his claims without direct denial. The full interview with Spencer is scheduled to air on the BBC on Sunday.
In parallel with her involvement in literary advocacy, Camilla is set to appear in an upcoming BBC Arts documentary titled The Book That Changed My Life, which is part of the UK’s National Year of Reading 2026. The programme will feature stories of resilience and renewal linked to reading, highlighting how books have provided solace and inspiration to diverse individuals facing significant challenges. One contributor, Ian Kirby from Gateshead, shares his experience of overcoming depression through participation in a local book club and reading the autobiography of boxing champion Glenn McCrory.
The documentary aims to explore both personal narratives and scientific research proving the health and wellbeing benefits of reading. It will air on BBC Two on October 14. During the festival, Camilla also shared her four autumn book recommendations: Finding Belle by Reeta Chakrabarti, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, Whistler by Ann Patchett, and Sashenka by Simon Sebag Montefiore.