Queen Camilla honours young writers at Buckingham Palace

Queen Camilla hosted a special reception at Buckingham Palace to honour the young finalists of BBC’s renowned 500 Words creative writing competition. 

The event brought together talented young writers, judges, and celebrity guests to celebrate the power of storytelling.

During the ceremony, Her Majesty personally awarded medals to the winners across two age categories—5 to 7 years and 8 to 11 years—recognising their creativity and imagination., reported GB News.

The competition, which has received over one million entries since its launch in 2011, encourages children across the UK to express themselves freely through storytelling without fear of grammar or spelling mistakes.

This year, nearly 44,000 entries were submitted, making it one of the most competitive editions yet. The grand final will be showcased in a special One Show episode on March 6, aligning with World Book Day.

Queen Camilla has supported 500 Words since 2015, highlighting the importance of nurturing young literary talent. 

The star-studded event featured celebrity readers, including Oscar-winner Olivia Colman, McFly’s Danny Jones and Tom Fletcher, comedian Matt Lucas, and actress Rose Ayling-Ellis, who brought the children’s stories to life.

The reception was a heartwarming celebration of creativity, inspiring the next generation of storytellers to dream big and write boldly.