Queen Camilla is an avid reader and host of the podcast The Reading Room. And she loves sharing her all-time favourite books. Luckily, so does her daughter-in-law Princess Kate!
“There is no friend as loyal as a book,” Queen Camilla once posted to her Instagram, sharing Ernest Hemingway’s famous quote.
And the 76-year-old’s love of reading has been a lifelong passion, with Queen Camilla and Princess Kate regularly sharing their favourite books, as well as which ones made them cry.
A fan of the classics, Camilla has even lent her voice to narrate children’s books and invests her own personal funds into literacy projects, because she believes reading leads to “a happier, healthier and more prosperous life.
QUEEN CAMILLA ON THE MAGIC OF BOOKS
“Like climbing through the wardrobe into Narnia, stories open doors into different worlds. They stretch our imagination and get our brains buzzing,” says Camilla of her favourite books.
“We fall in love with heroes and heroines and can’t turn the pages fast enough to find out what happens… stories help us to understand our world and the people in it.”
The wife of King Charles fell in love with books at a young age, thanks to her father Major Bruce Shand.
“He was probably the best-read man I’ve come across, anywhere,” she said. “I mean he devoured books. And so, he read to us as children. He chose the books, and we listened. And I think the love of books was ingrained in us, because you know, it was there from such an early age.”
A FAMILY AFFAIR
It’s a tradition she’s happily passed on to her children and now, grandchildren.
“I love it. I read to them when they were absolutely tiny,” shares Queen Camilla. “And they’ve got older and older and older, and now they actually read to me.”
Known as “Gaga” to her five grandchildren, Camilla’s also step-grandmother to five on the King’s side.
Charles is equally passionate about books, with the shelves at Clarence House crammed full of books on gardening, the environment, poetry and plenty of thrillers.
Queen Camilla says her husband leaves the kids “spellbound” with his dramatic readings of Harry Potter stories. “He does all the voices because he’s a brilliant mimic… He’s extremely good with children. They love it.”
QUEEN CAMILLA’S ALL-TIME FAVOURITE BOOKS
01
Black Beauty
from $27.99 at Dymocks
Best for: Childhood memories
Reflecting on her all-time favourite childhood reads, the Queen said a combined love of horses and reading left her sobbing into her pillow.
“I think I have to admit, in the end, I ended up probably being a sort of pony-mad child with Black Beauty, which I howled over, night after night after night.”
02
Where the Crawdads Sing
from $12 at Big W
Best for: Coming of age tale
Where the Crawdads Sing was one of Camilla’s Instagram-based book club picks in 201.
She said of the novel: “All is not as it seems in this beautifully written, heart-breaking coming-of-age novel. I couldn’t put it (or my handkerchief) down!:
03
The Light Years
from $21.99 at Dymocks
Best for: Family saga
“A multi-generational saga by this brilliant author, of a British family before, during and after World War II. If I was sent to a desert island with one book this would be my choice…!” Her majesty said of this book – praise doesn’t get much higher!
05
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
from $10 at Big W
Best for: Reading to the grandkids
With ten grandchildren, the Queen is no stranger to bedtime stories!
“I think the one I enjoyed reading more than anything else was Harry Potter,” she says.
But it’s her husband King Charles who is the star of the show.
“I can’t mimic voices for love or money, I’m completely hopeless at it,” she says. “I was a really bad actor at school, and I’ve never been able to master the art of mimicry.
“But my husband, he does it brilliantly. He can do all the voices.”
KATE’S FAVOURITE KIDS’ BOOKS
From invoking memories of her own beautiful childhood to books that can teach us something, the Princess of Wales has no shortage of favourite bedtime stories to read to George, 10, Charlotte, nine, and Louis, six.
05
Charlotte’s Web
from $16.99 at Dymocks
Best for: celebrating friendship
Kate says Charlotte’s Web is also very popular in her house – perhaps it even provided some naming inspiration!
“This is a charming story about friendship, loyalty and love.”
05
Stig of The Dump
from $19.95 at Dymocks
Best for: childhood adventures
Stig Of The Dump inspired Kate’s love of the outdoors, “I have never forgotten this brilliant book and the values it teaches.”
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