Themes we've explored
In between seasons on The Queen's Reading Room, we pick a theme to explore in greater detail.
Nature Writing
An interlude to reflect on how blessed we are to have so many fantastic writers on nature in the UK and internationally and introduce a selection of some of the most compelling books on this topic.
Watch
Raynor Winn
On Writing The Salt Path
Watch
Raynor Winn
On Inhabiting Nature
Watch
Isabella Tree
On the Dangers of Nostalgia
Watch
Isabella Tree
On Nature’s Return at Knepp
Watch
Isabella Tree
On the Knepp Experiment
Watch
Olivia Colman
Reads The Tale of Peter Rabbit
Watch
Suzanne Simard
On the Future of Our Forests
Watch
Suzanne Simard
On Mother Trees
Watch
Helen Macdonald
On Hunting with Mabel
Watch
Helen Macdonald
On H is for Hawk
Watch
Peter Wohlleben
On Nature’s Society
Watch
Eoghan Daltun
On Writing An Irish Atlantic Rainforest
Watch
Eoghan Daltun
On the Rewilding Process
Watch
Cal Flyn
On the Swona Cows
Watch
Cal Flyn
On Islands of Abandonment
Watch
Ben Goldsmith
On Iris’ Stone Circle
Watch
Ben Goldsmith
On Rediscovering Our Love of Nature
Watch
Ben Goldsmith
On Grief and Beavers
Online Exclusives
Watch
Tom Stoppard
On Leopoldstadt – Full Interview
Watch
Helen Edmundson
On Small Island – Full Interview
Watch
Lolita Chakrabarti
On Life of Pi – Full Interview
Watch
Michael Morpurgo
On War Horse – Full Interview
Watch
Mark Rylance
On Jez Butterworth’s Jerusalem – Full Interview
©
Watch
Virginia Woolf
Craftsmanship, Words Fail Me
Watch
Michael Cunningham
On Virginia Woolf’s Hopefulness
Watch
Michael Cunningham
On the Genius of Mrs. Dalloway
Watch
David Detmer
On Jean-Paul Sartre’s Relevance Today
Watch
David Detmer
On Antoine Roquentin
Watch
Raynor Winn
On Returning to ‘Normal’ Life
Watch
Raynor Winn
On Being Homeless
Watch
Raynor Winn
On Walking the South West Coast Path
Watch
Isabella Tree
On the Role of Herbivores
Watch
Isabella Tree
On Knepp’s White Storks
Watch
Suzanne Simard
On Trees’ Memory
Watch
Helen Macdonald
On T. H. White
Watch
Helen Macdonald
On Us and Nature
Watch
Peter Wohlleben
On Trusting Nature’s Process
Watch
Cal Flyn
On the Lessons We Learn from Nature
Watch
Cal Flyn
On the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone
Watch
Ben Goldsmith
On Wild Farming
Watch
Ben Goldsmith
On Restoring Wetlands
Diaries & Diarists
An interlude dedicated to diaries, both fictional and real, and their use by authors from Samuel Pepys to Helen Fielding as a brilliant vehicle for storytelling. Explore a selection of diarists who have altered perceptions, encouraged thought, recorded social change or have simply made us laugh.
Watch
Michael Cunningham
On Virginia Woolf’s Diaries and Autobiography in Her Work
Watch
Michael Cunningham
On Discovering Virginia Woolf
©
Virginia Woolf
A Writer’s Diary
©
Watch
Alan Bennett
Reads His Diary for 2022
©
Alan Bennett
Diaries
Watch
Nelson Mandela, Conversations with Myself
Book Extract
©
Nelson Mandela
Conversations with Myself
©
Scott Polar Research Institute
On Scott Reaching the Pole
Captain Robert Falcon Scott
Captain Scott’s Diary
©
Watch
Otto Frank On Anne Frank’s Diary
© Jewish Theological Seminary of America, USA, 1967 / from the collection of the Anne Frank House, Amsterdam
Anne Frank
The Diary of a Young Girl
©
The Great Plague (1665-1666)
Events in Pepys’ Diaries
Eve’s Diary
First Edition
Mark Twain
Eve’s Diary
Watch
Gemma Jones
Reads Bridget Jones’s Diary
Helen Fielding
Bridget Jones’ Diary Film Adaptation
Watch
David Detmer
On Jean-Paul Sartre’s Nausea
Watch
David Detmer
On Jean-Paul Sartre
Watch
Andi Osho
Reads The Color Purple
Alice Walker
The Color Purple
Watch
Louise Jameson
Reads The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13 and ¾
Watch
Stephen Mangan
On Sue Townsend and The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13 and ¾
Sue Townsend
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13 and ¾
Watch
Charity Wakefield
Reads Any Human Heart
Watch
Rupert Vansittart
Reads Any Human Heart
William Boyd
Any Human Heart
Plays & Playwrights
An interlude to explore some of the greatest plays of all time and the extraordinary people who create them and bring them to life on the stage.
Life of Pi – Behind the Scenes
Puppetry with Nick Barnes
Watch
Alan Bennett
On The History Boys
Susan Hill
The Woman in Black
©
Watch
Arthur Miller
On All My Sons
©
Watch
Maggie Smith and Robert Stephens
In Private Lives
©
Watch
Anna Chancellor and Toby Stephens
On Noel Coward’s Private Lives
Anton Chekhov
The Seagull
George Bernard Shaw
Pygmalion
Watch
David Suchet
On The Importance of Being Earnest
Oscar Wilde
The Importance of Being Earnest
Henrik Ibsen
A Doll’s House
©
Watch
Director Maria Aberg
On Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus
Christopher Marlowe
Doctor Faustus
©
Watch
Samuel West
On Shakespeare’s Love
©
Fiona Shaw
Richard II
Watch
Gyles Brandreth reads for The Queen’s Reading Room
On Quoting Shakespeare
A Very Christie Christmas
A fascinating journey into the greatest mystery writer of all time, Agatha Christie, as we explore her life, her work and her extraordinary legacy in the company of some of our favourite authors and actors and Christie’s own great-grandson, James Prichard.
Curtain
Manuscript
©
Poirot’s Obituary
The New York Times
Watch
Mathew Prichard
On Agatha Christie and Theatre
©
Watch
The Pale Horse
BBC adaptation
Watch
Genevieve Gaunt
Reads A Murder is Announced
Watch
Mathew Prichard
On Agatha Christie and Miss Marple
Agatha Christie
Beyond Poirot and Marple
©
Watch
Charles Dance
Reads And Then There Were None
Watch
Mathew Prichard
Agatha Christie and Writing
Watch
Vaseem Khan, Dreda Say Mitchell, Robert Thorogood, James Prichard On Agatha Christie’s Life in Her Work
Robert Thorogood reads Murder in Mesopotamia
©
Watch
Mathew Prichard
On Agatha Christie and Archaeology
©
Agatha Christie
And Max Mallowan
Watch
Richard Osman
Reads Five Little Pigs
Watch
Richard Osman
On Why He Loves Agatha Christie
Watch
Vaseem Khan, Dreda Say Mitchell, Robert Thorogood, James Prichard On Agatha Christie’s Best Tricks
Vaseem Khan reads The ABC Murders
©
Watch
The ABC Murders
BBC adaptation
Watch
Vaseem Khan, Dreda Say Mitchell, Robert Thorogood, James Prichard On Murder on the Orient Express
Dreda Say Mitchell reads Murder on the Orient Express
Lucy Worsley
Agatha Christie: A Very Elusive Woman
©
Agatha Christie
Missing Poster
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Quote
©
Watch
David Suchet
Being Poirot
Watch
Genevieve Gaunt
Reads The Mysterious Affair at Styles
©
Agatha Christie
As a Nurse
©
Agatha Christie
And Archibald Christie
©
Agatha Christie
As a Child
Her Majesty Queen Camilla
On Agatha Christie
©
Agatha Christie
Portrait
Commonwealth
A journey around the world to explore literary treasures from the Commonwealth.
Watch
Imbolo Mbue
The Case For And Against Love Potions
Watch
Jenny Bennett-Tuionetoa
Matalasi
Watch
Emma-Kate Lewis
Tread Lightly
Watch
Her Majesty The Queen – then Princess Elizabeth – reading
Windsor Castle, 1940
Watch
Michael Morpurgo
There Once Is A Queen
Watch
Michael Morpurgo
On The Queen’s Reign
Watch
Her Majesty The Queen – then Princess Elizabeth – reading
Windsor Castle, 1940
Watch
Her Majesty The Queen – then Princess Elizabeth – reading
Natal National Park, South Africa, 1947
Watch
The Commonwealth Poetry Podcast, Episode 1 The United Kingdom
W H Auden, The Night Mail
Watch
The Commonwealth Poetry Podcast, Episode 1 The United Kingdom
Christina Rossetti, EchoThe Subaltern’s Love Song
Watch
The Commonwealth Poetry Podcast, Episode 1 The United Kingdom
John Betjeman, The Subaltern’s Love Song
Watch
The Commonwealth Poetry Podcast, Episode 1 The United Kingdom
On Poets And Poetry
©
Watch
Her Majesty The Queen
Malta, 1967
Watch
John Cremona
Children Playing
Watch
Her Majesty The Queen
Uganda, 1954
Watch
Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2020
The Little Prince Comes Back To Earth, by Junior Runner Up Eleni Bazikamwe (Ghana) – Read by David Walliams
Watch
Abdulrazak Gurnah
The Promise
Watch
Damon Galgut
The Promise
Watch
The Commonwealth Poetry Podcast, Episode 2 Rwanda
AMelody Ingabire
Watch
David Rubadiri
An African Thunderstorm
Watch
Book Aid International
Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Watch
Commonwealth – Asia
Authors
Watch
Commonwealth – Asia
Authors
Watch
Zehra Nigah
Right Here Was The Ocean
Watch
Tahmima Anam
A Golden Age
Watch
Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2020
The Waters Rise, by Senior Runner-up Ananya Mukerji (India) – Read by Kareena Kapoor
Watch
Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2020
Voices From The Blue World, by Senior Winner Aditya Choudhury (Singapore) – Read by Stephen Fry
Watch
Commonwealth – Pacific
Authors
Watch
Lorraine Mafi-Williams
Mimi Dancers
Watch
Barry Mitcalfe
Out Of The Wilderness
Watch
Commonwealth – Caribbean and Americas
Authors
Watch
Commonwealth – Caribbean and Americas
Authors
Watch
Peggy Carr
Foretaste of Paradise
Watch
Ashley Saunders
The March of the Hermit Crabs in the Rain
Watch
Simon Armitage
Queenhood
Poets and Poetry
An interlude dedicated to all things poetry. Here you will find readings from the poets themselves, brilliant actors and fantastic pupils, who contributed to bringing to life the words of some truly stunning poems from Shakespeare to current Poet Laureate Simon Armitage.
Watch
Poets’ corner
Westminster Abbey
Watch
Shakespeare, Sonnet 60
Read by Ben Okri
Watch
Ben Okri, In praise of Notre Dame
Read by Ben Okri
Watch
Poetry Together
Knightsbridge School
Watch
Poetry Together
Whitehall School
Watch
Poetry Together
St Vincent’s School
Watch
John Donne, No Man is an Island
Read by William Seighart
Watch
Siegfried Sassoon, Everybody Sang
Read by Stephen Fry
Watch
Mary Oliver, Wild Geese
Read by Helena Bonham Carter
Watch
Derek Mahon, Everything is Going to Be All Right
Read by Andrew Scott
Watch
Robert Burns, Farewell to the Highlands
Read by HM Queen Camilla
Watch
Henry Longfellow, The Song of Hiawatha
Read by Gyles Brandreth
Watch
Christina Rossetti, Echo
Read by Juliet Stevenson
Watch
Eavan Boland, Domestic Violence
Read by Jess Phillips
Watch
Bernard Levin, Quoting Shakespeare
Read by HM King Charles III
Watch
Alfred Tennyson, The Charge of the Light Brigade
Read by Alfred Tennyson
Watch
Maura Dooley, Letters from Yorkshire
Read by Maura Dooley
Watch
Carol Ann Duffy, The Christmas Truce
Read by Carol Ann Duffy
Watch
W H Auden, The Night Mail
Read by W H Auden
Watch
Simon Armitage, A Vision
Read by Simon Armitage
Watch
Walter de la Mare, The Listeners
Read by Maurice Riordan
Watch
John Betjeman, A Subaltern’s Love Song
Read by John Betjeman
Watch
W B Yeats, When You Are Old
Read by Cillian Murphy
A Christmas Carol
A celebration of the most beloved of Christmas stories, narrated by Their Majesties and their guests, and accompanied by treasures from the Charles Dickens Museum.
Watch
Reading A Christmas Carol
Book Extract
Watch
Illustrations From The First Edition Of A Christmas Carol (1843)
By John Leech
Watch
Paterson Joseph Reads A Christmas Carol
Book Extract
Watch
Curator Louisa Price Presents
Wood Printing Block For ‘Fezziwig’s Ball’, 1852
Watch
Stephen Mangan And Bridgette Amofah Read A Christmas Carol
Book Extract
Watch
Miriam Margolyes On Why She Loves A Christmas Carol
Interview With Miriam Margolyes
Watch
Sir Derek Jacobi Reads A Christmas Carol
Book Extract
Watch
The Original Victorian Christmas Pudding Recipe
With Pen Vogler
Watch
Paterson Joseph And Simon Callow Read A Christmas Carol
Book Extract
Watch
Simon Callow Presents
The First Edition Of A Christmas Carol
Watch
Miriam Margolyes Reads A Christmas Carol
Book Extract
Watch
His Majesty King Charles III Reads A Christmas Carol
Book Extract
Food Writing
An interlude exploring cookery books and literature, and why they make such congenial bedfellows.
Watch
Kate Young
On Great Cookery Books
Watch
Kate Young
Bookshelves
Watch
Kate Young
With The Little Library Cookbook
Watch
Kate Young
Recipe For Chocolate Cake
Watch
Olivia Potts
Reads A Half Baked Idea
Watch
Olivia Potts
From A Half Baked Idea
Watch
Olivia Potts And Her Mother
Photo
Olivia Potts
A Half Baked Idea
Watch
Tom Parker Bowles
On International Favourites
Watch
Tom Parker Bowles
On Food
Watch
Tom Parker Bowles
On the Art of Great Cookery Writing
Watch
Pani Ca Medusa (Spleen Sandwich)
Palermo, Sicily
Watch
Tom Parker Bowles
On His Favourite Food Writers
Watch
Tripperia (Tripe Shop)
Palermo, Sicily
Watch
Tom Parker Bowles
Reads A Book Of Food
Watch
Dedication
By P Morton Shand
Watch
P Morton Shand
From A Book Of Food
Watch
P Morton Shand
Portrait
His Majesty Recommends
His Majesty kindly recommends some of his favourite books to The Queen’s Reading Room.
Adam Zamoyski
Napoleon
Jonathan Dimbleby
The Battle Of The Atlantic
Robert Harris
Lustrum
His Majesty King Charles III
Reading
Martha Gellhorn
Travels With Myself And Another
Watch
HM Queen Camilla
Reads Mark Shand’s Travels On My Elephant
Watch
His Majesty King Charles III
Book Recommendations
William Blacker
Along The Enchanted Way
Children’s Classics
An interlude dedicated to Her Majesty’s favourite children’s books, with guests from the Royal Society of Literature.
Golden Gorse
Moorland Mousie
Stephen Fry Recommends
Childhood Favourite
Frederick Marryat
The Children Of The New Forest
Arthur Ransome
Swallows And Amazons
Watch
Stephen Fry On His Early Memories Of Reading
Interview With Stephen Fry
Margaret Atwood
On Her Early Memories Of Reading
