An avid reader since childhood, The Duchess of Cornwall has written an article for The Sun in support of their “Books for Schools” campaign.
Camilla starts the article recalling her idyllic childhood, when her father used to read for her and her siblings, showing them the pleasure and importance of reading.
She said: “I was very lucky to have a father who read to us when we were children – and he didn’t just read books – he brought them alive. We couldn’t wait for the next chapter. So my love of reading started early and has stayed with me all my life. And, looking back, that was one of the greatest gifts my father could have given me.”
Literacy is a key subject of Camilla’s charity work, she’s patron of several organisations promoting it, including Book Trust, First Story, the Wicked Young Writer Awards, Beanstalk and National Literacy Trust. These organisations work with children, adults and even offenders in prison to improve their reading skills and encourage them to indulge in reading as a pastime.
In partnership with the National Literacy Trust, The Sun will is to donate 2 million books for 20,000 primary schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to encourage youngsters to read.
About her work with the charity, the Duchess said: “I have been patron of the National Literacy Trust since 2010 because I wanted to help them in their mission to improve the reading and writing skills of children all over the country.
“What is more, their projects are full of imagination and enthusiasm. Thanks to them, I have taken part in a book-nic (a picnic with books instead of food), and I’ve beaten Gaby Roslin at Scrabble! So you can imagine how pleased I was to be asked to write about this ‘Books for Schools’ campaign, run by the National Literacy Trust and The Sun.”
Prince Charles’ wife also spoke about the positive impact of reading in children’s education, saying: “We all know how important reading is for our children, but it might surprise you that a good reader can also improve their skills in maths and science. There are other untold and astonishing benefits. Research has shown that reading for pleasure improves how children think, explore and figure things out between the ages of 10 and 16.”
At the end of the article, Camilla shares her hope that readers will continue to contribute with the campaign, emphasising once again how important reading can be for children. The Duchess also revealed that, just like her father used to read to her, she used to read to her children and now does the same with her grandchildren.
“I hope that readers of The Sun will support this campaign to put more books into the hands of children. From my own experience, I know how important reading together can be for parents and children. Just as my father read to us as children, I read to my own children, and now to my grandchildren too.”
She revealed back in 2017, however, that The Prince of Wales is particularly good at reading voices to her own grandchildren!
You can read Camilla’s article here.
