Queen Camilla releases major statement as her charity turns five

Queen Camilla called on people to make time for reading in her latest statement as her Reading Room charity turns five.

The Queen Consort warned that fewer people are picking up books than ever before as she said that getting people to read is “more urgent than ever.”

Camilla started the charity during the Covid lockdown and the project has now grown into a worldwide community of readers.

However, the Queen said many are now too distracted to read regularly. "Five years ago, I founded a book club in lockdown, in the hope that others might derive as much enjoyment from good literature as I do,” she said.

The statement continued, “Since those humble beginnings, that book club has grown into a global charity, supporting a community of book lovers, united by a shared belief in the power of reading.

“I am so proud of what my charity has achieved, reaching millions of people, staging remarkable events and partnering with incredible organisations to bring books to people who need them most. Its groundbreaking research has confirmed what many of us always felt: reading truly changes how we perceive, how we think and how we connect.

“At a time when global reading rates are at their very lowest, my charity’s mission feels more urgent than ever. Books do make life better, and this is only the beginning.”