Queen Camilla is queen of books

27 May 2023

Queen Camilla is “genuinely important to books” and is always helping the literary industry.

Queen Camilla is the Queen of books

The 75-year-old royal set up her online Reading Room book club in 2021 and the initiative has now expanded, with an in-person festival set to take place at Hampton Court Palace next month, and author Kate Mosse jumped at the chance to be involved because she thinks King Charles’ wife has done a lot for literacy.

The writer told Britain’s HELLO! magazine: “I think it’s fabulous that the Reading Room has been set up and I leapt at the chance of being in the festival.

“The Queen is genuinely important to books and a genuine reader.”

The ‘Labyrinth’ author thinks it is “particularly powerful” for the queen to be promoting books and a love of reading.

She added: “I think for a lot of people, the queen stands for a woman who has had to put up with a great deal, as well as well as achieve a great deal.

“And although she’s a queen, she knows what women’s lives can be like.

“She’s not remote or divorced from things.”

Kate has met Camilla several times over the years and thinks she is a “complete laugh”.

She added: “[She’s] quite a giggler and really good company.”

And the ‘Citadel’ writer thought it was hilarious when she met the king and he poked fun at her “ridiculous” shoes following a tip-off from his wife.

She recalled: “When I was getting my OBE from the king, I wore a pair of triple-stacked brothel creepers.

“He looked down at my feet and said, ‘My wife told me to have a look and see if you were wearing those ridiculous shoes – and you are.

“I’d taken my mother out with me and it made her day.”