Readers across the world, and royal fans in particular, were excited to hear that The Duchess of Cornwall, an avid reader and supporter of literacy causes, is launching an online book club.
Camilla, 73, is beginning The Duchess of Cornwall’s Reading Room on Instagram next week, to be a ‘celebration of literature in all its forms’ and to be ‘a hub for literary communities around the world’.
Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall, in a new photo to launch her Reading Room (Hugo Bernand/@ClarenceHouse)
Clarence House shared the news on New Year’s Day, saying the Instagram page (@duchessofcornwallsreadingroom) was inspired by ‘the success of the reading lists published by Her Royal Highness at Easter and in the summer’.
Indeed, the Easter reading list the Duchess compiled was one of our top-read articles for 2020! Remind yourself of both lists here and here.
“In these challenging times, when we are isolated from the ones we love, many of us are finding comfort in reading, to fire up our imaginations, to take us on journeys and to make us laugh,” Camilla commented at the first 2020 release.
The channel will recommend four books each season, covering a panoply of genres, from classics, to new fiction titles, non-fiction and even poetry. There will also be interviews and insights from authors themselves.
It is hoped to be a space for book lovers of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. A royal source in The Telegraph said it felt like a ‘timely moment’, as book sales have risen by 400%.
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Among the books featured is Charlie Mackesy’s The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse. The author and illustrator has been interviewed by the Duchess and supplied a handwritten, illustrated note to support the project. His book was a royal recommendation for New Year.
A new photo was released to mark the launch, with the future Queen seen with a stack of books wearing a red coat dress; it was snapped by Hugo Bernand, and appears to be from the same time as the Royal’s recent Stella front cover for The Telegraph.
Bernand took The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall’s official wedding photos, as well as those of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. He is also a regular portrait taker for the older couple.
Camilla is patron of numerous literary charities: the National Literacy Trust, BookTrust, The Royal Society of Literature, First Story, the Wicked Young Writer Awards and Beanstalk. She is involved in the 500 Words BBC Radio 2 competition each year, as well as the Booker Prize.
The Winter Season of the Reading Room begins Friday 15th January. Will you be joining?
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