News
11th September 2026
The Queen’s Reading Room joins forces with Nationwide to promote the power of reading across the country
The Queen’s Reading Room is delighted to welcome Nationwide as the lead sponsor of our festival. We are incredibly grateful for their support in extending our festival’s reach and helping to bring the benefits of books to life.
Vicki Perrin, Chief Executive of The Queen’s Reading Room said:
“We are absolutely delighted to welcome Nationwide as lead sponsor of The Queen’s Reading Room Festival. Their support will help us celebrate the power, benefits and joy of reading, and share the Festival with even more people and communities across Britain. We are hugely grateful and very excited about all that we can achieve together.”
Catherine Kehoe, Nationwide Group Chief Customer Officer, said:
“At Nationwide, we’re committed to helping people and communities thrive. Reading can improve wellbeing, spark connection and bring people together, which is why we’re pleased to support The Queen’s Reading Room to bring the benefits of reading to more people.”
4th August 2026
Her Majesty Queen Camilla visits Emmaus Norfolk & Waveney
On Monday 20th July, Her Majesty Queen Camilla visited Emmaus Norfolk & Waveney to celebrate the pioneering work being carried out to support women who have experienced homelessness and trauma. Her Majesty met with residents and staff, including women from the Women’s Project, a specialist, trauma-informed support service designed to help women rebuild their lives through a stable home, meaningful work and tailored support.
The visit also marked the launch of an exciting new partnership between Emmaus UK and The Queen’s Reading Room. As part of the launch, Her Majesty unveiled a new Book Nook at Emmaus Norfolk & Waveney, created in the community’s historic library using books selected by residents and kindly donated by Pan Macmillan. Through reading spaces, donated books and wellbeing activities, the partnership will create opportunities for connection, confidence and personal growth across Emmaus communities.
Cecile Roberts, Chief Executive of Emmaus Norfolk & Waveney, said:
“It was a tremendous honour to welcome Her Majesty The Queen to Emmaus Norfolk & Waveney and to showcase the life-changing work taking place across our community, particularly through our pioneering Women’s Project.
We are incredibly proud of our trauma-informed approach, which provides women with a safe and stable home, alongside therapeutic support, meaningful opportunities and the confidence to rebuild their lives.
Her Majesty’s visit allowed our residents to share their personal journeys and highlight the strength, resilience and determination they have shown in overcoming homelessness. We are deeply grateful for her longstanding commitment to Emmaus and for recognising the importance of providing tailored support that empowers people to create the future they hope for.”
Vicki Perrin, Chief Executive of The Queen’s Reading Room, said:
“I have long admired the brilliant work of Emmaus and its approach to ending homelessness, including the life-changing tailored support it delivers for its residents. It is a great joy therefore to embark on this partnership, which I hope will see books and reading uplift the lives and support the recovery journeys of many of its residents moving forward. We have seen first hand the extraordinary, transformative power of books to make life better and we look forward to helping Emmaus make room for reading in its services, now and in the future.
Her Majesty’s visit to Emmaus Norfolk & Waveney was a truly memorable occasion, celebrating not only 20 years of her unwavering support for Emmaus, but also the courage, resilience and achievements of the residents rebuilding their lives at Emmaus Norfolk & Waveney.”
Resident Mel, from the Women’s Project, also shared what the visit meant to her:
“We know that Her Majesty The Queen is a champion of women’s causes and it was especially heart-warming for us that she was able to spend time talking to women in our Women’s Project. For women who have experienced domestic abuse and sexual violence, to be seen, heard and empowered means the world, and we are so grateful that Queen Camilla could hear our stories.”
14th July 2026
World-renowned authors to reunite at Chatsworth for a star-studded event at The Queen’s Reading Room Festival
We are delighted to announce the full line-up for Lee Child’s exclusive event at The Queen’s Reading Room Festival this September.
Lee will be bringing literary glamour to our festival stage as he reunites with Kate Mosse, Ken Follett and Jojo Moyes seven years after their celebrated 2019 tour of Europe to reflect on the role of fiction in uncertain times.
Hosted by The Queen’s Reading Room CEO, Vicki Perrin, this wide-ranging conversation will also ponder the transformative power of stories as the authors discuss their own remarkable bodies of work – from the much-loved adventures of Jack Reacher to historical epics, gripping thrillers, and family chronicles – and consider the real-world impact of reading on confidence, rehabilitation, and hope.
Full of insight and humour, this promises to be a rare and illuminating gathering of four beloved writers whose novels have helped millions of readers make sense of the world around them.
Click here to secure your tickets for this unmissable event!
This year, our star-studded festival line-up also includes:
Clare Balding · Harlan Coben · Meg Mason · Elif Shafak · Cecelia Ahern · Louise Penny · Ann Cleeves · Jeffery Archer · Kate Atkinson · William Boyd · Jessie Burton · Reeta Chakrabarti · Daisy Fancourt · Lucy Foley · Jane Harper · Philippa Perry · Jennifer Saint · Nussaibah Younis · Louisa Young · Louise Kennedy
All of our authors will be hosting book signings after their talks, giving you the chance to meet your heroes, pose any burning questions, and treat yourself to signed copies of the stories you love most.
Festival Passes will grant access to the stunning grounds of Chatsworth – including its 105-acre garden and farmyard – plus a jam-packed programme of free bonus entertainment specially curated for our guests:
The Writers’ Room
Situated in the gorgeous gardens of Chatsworth, The Writers’ Room is the perfect spot for any aspiring author.
Open throughout Saturday and Sunday, this space offers a rare opportunity to step behind the scenes of the publishing world as industry experts such as authors, literary agents, editors, and publicists share practical advice on how to approach the publishing process with confidence.
Whether you are finally putting pen to paper for your first manuscript, keen to see your finished work in print, or simply fascinated by a novel’s journey from concept to bookshelf, The Writers’ Room promises inspiration, insight and invaluable guidance from some of publishing’s leading figures.
The Poetry Room
The Poetry Room, kindly supported by the T.S. Eliot Foundation, will be a welcoming space for anyone who loves poetry, whether lifelong readers or recent converts to the joy of verse.
Across the weekend, visitors can take part in four workshops led by the Royal Literary Fund, exploring and discussing selected poems that will also be performed during the sessions. The tent will also host a special one-off event with Larry Lamb, who will offer a reading of some of his favourite poems. On Sunday, audiences can enjoy a lively performance from Dead Poets Live, with actors, authors and artists bringing their favourite poems to life.
Featuring readings from Nussaibah Younis, Cecelia Ahern and Oliver Rowse, The Poetry Room promises to be a warm, engaging and entertaining celebration of the spoken word made accessible to everyone.
The Book Club Room
The Book Club Room celebrates Her Majesty’s Book Club and the remarkable reading journey it has inspired for so many since its launch. Visitors will be able to look back on each season of the Book Club, explore and discuss the chosen books, watch interviews with featured authors, or settle into a comfortable corner to read for a moment away from the hustle and bustle of the festival.
Whether you are a devoted follower of The Queen’s Reading Room Book Club or just discovering it for the first time, The Book Club Room offers a space to relax, reflect and learn more about the books and conversations that have brought so many readers together.
Tickets are selling fast, so click here to grab yours before they go!
10th June 2026
Her Majesty Queen Camilla visits St Mungo’s in support of vital new literary project
Today, Her Majesty Queen Camilla visited a St Mungo’s site in South London to meet some of the brilliant minds behind a vital new project in partnership with The Queen’s Reading Room, which explores how reading can provide calm, conversation and connection for those in difficult circumstances.
The Queen’s Reading Room was founded on the belief that books have the power to transform lives and, through our groundbreaking neuroscientific research, has learnt of the potential of stories and shared reading groups to act as a therapeutic tool in trauma recovery. We therefore commissioned a training developer, Opening the Book, to create a ‘Make Room For Reading’ training toolkit which can be used by a range of charity partners, helping frontline staff and volunteers learn how to engage people with books and inspire a love of reading — especially for those who might not consider themselves readers.
Over the past eighteen months, we have been incredibly proud to partner with leading homelessness charity St Mungo’s to pilot our programme inspiring reading activity across a number of their services. With the support of Pan Macmillan Publishing, we have also donated hundreds of books selected by St Mungo’s clients and staff to fill each of ‘The Queen’s Reading Room Shelves’ in nine London-based St Mungo’s accommodation services. Together, these bookshelves and the ‘Make Room For Reading’ toolkit are helping to create spaces where people can read independently or together, and where frontline teams can use reading to support confidence, wellbeing and connection.
The event, also attended by Lorraine Kelly and bestselling author Elif Shafak, allowed Her Majesty to meet some of those involved in the project, including St Mungo’s colleagues who have been running new reading programmes in their services, as well as a number of St Mungo’s clients who have benefited from the programme. We were honoured to hear some of their stories firsthand, including from Milena who said:
“This partnership has meant that my confidence has grown. I have rediscovered my joy for reading and I’m even the founder of one of the many book clubs now running in St Mungo’s services. They are a great way to interact with people and to bond over a love for reading. I’m excited to find out what else I will learn about myself and others as the partnership continues.”
The ‘Make Room For Reading’ toolkit is also being used by The Elm Foundation, a domestic abuse support service, and invaluable feedback from our St Mungo’s colleagues and clients is currently being used to develop the programme further. As a charity, The Queen’s Reading Room relies on the generosity of our supporters and partners to make this work possible, enabling us to bring the joy, comfort and connection of reading to more people facing difficult circumstances.
With huge thanks to the participating organisations including: Dr Katie Daubney from The University of East London, Luciano Della Mura and The Bentley Foundation, Rachel van Riel and Opening the Book, Lucy Hale and Pan Macmillan, and Claire Anderson and The Royal Warrant Holders Association.
12th May 2026
The Queen’s Reading Room Explores Reading and Mental Wellbeing in New York
Here at The Queen’s Reading Room we’ve been exploring how the power of books can be unlocked to help vulnerable communities and individuals thrive. In partnership with St Mungo’s and The Elm Foundation, a homelessness charity and a charity supporting domestic violence survivors respectively, we have been running a pilot shared reading programme. The programme includes the Make Room for Reading Toolkit, a digital training resource for charity staff, exploring different ways to engage people with books and help inspire in them a love of reading.
On Wednesday 29th April, we were joined at the New York Public Library by representatives from major New York-based literary charities and organisations dedicated to tackling domestic violence and homelessness. Our Chief Executive Vicki Perrin led a roundtable discussion on our research and work to amplify the transformative power of reading.
Professor Barbara Sahakian, a world leading expert in clinical neuropsychology, and Professor Sam Wass, a developmental cognitive neuroscientist, joined the roundtable via video call to discuss their findings, research and ongoing hypotheses into how reading can be used to improve mental wellbeing and in trauma recovery pathways. CEO of The Elm Foundation Jennifer Calverley also spoke about her clients’ experience of using reading as a tool for connection within their community.
Her Majesty Queen Camilla met with many of the charity representatives, including Commissioner Erin Dalton from the NYC Department of Social Services and Saloni Sethi, Commissioner of the NYC Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-based Violence.
We look forward to expanding our grassroots work exploring shared reading, and to explore future collaborations with the incredible charities we met, to work together to help everyone make room for reading in their lives.
Speaking after the event, Vicki Perrin said: “The Queen’s Reading Room is delighted to have partnered with leading charities and respected literary figures at the iconic New York Public Library in our mission to restore reading rates in the UK and beyond.”
With huge thanks to the participating organisations including: Arab American Family Support Center; Barrier Free Living; Homes for the Homeless; Jumpstart; NYC Department of Social Services; NYC Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence; New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence; Reading Partners; Rising Ground; Room to Read; Safe Horizon; Sakhi for South Asian Survivors; Sanctuary for Families; Urban Justice Center; Urban Resource Institute; Violence Intervention Program; and, WiN (Women in Need).
We are also hugely grateful to CVC for their generous support of this important event. Their commitment to education and literacy is helping us bring together partners, experts and practitioners to explore how reading can support wellbeing, connection and community, and how we can share those benefits with more people through our grassroots work.
12th May 2026
Queen Camilla and The Queen’s Reading Room Host Literary Event at New York Public Library
On April 29th, The Queen’s Reading Room was delighted to hold a literary panel and reception at the New York Public Library as part of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s State Visit to the USA.
NBC’s Jenna Bush Hager joined authors Min Jin Lee and Harlan Coben to discuss the cultural power of storytelling, reading as a tool for empathy, and our neuroscience research into the well-being benefits of reading. Then followed a literary reception with Queen Camilla, alongside leading global cultural and literary stars including Dame Anna Wintour, Sarah Jessica Parker, Lee Child and V.V. Ganeshananthan.
Queen Camilla, speaking to the incredible power of reading, said “books really are good for us. They also have a magic way of bringing people together, with their ability to transcend almost any barrier.” Celebrating the “precious friendship” between the UK and USA, Her Majesty expressed her hopes for The Queen’s Reading Room to play a role in the ongoing and longlasting cultural exchange between the two countries. Her Majesty also confirmed our intent to continue collaborating with institutions like the NYPL to “strengthen communities through the written word.”
A big thank you to all those who attended and to the New York Public Library for hosting us in their beautiful and historic venue.
We are also hugely grateful to CVC for their generous support of this special event. Their commitment to education and literacy is helping us celebrate and champion the power of reading, and to continue building a future in which more people can experience the wellbeing, connection and opportunity that books can bring.
For the Queen’s Reading Room, this event was an important opportunity to celebrate the joy and cultural power of books, while shining a light on our wider charitable purpose: to prove, promote and share the benefits of reading. Through our global community, research and growing partnerships, we are working to help more people experience the wellbeing, connection and opportunity that reading can bring.
7th March 2026
The Queen’s Reading Room celebrates 100 years of Gateshead Central Library
![The Queen's Reading Room talk at Gateshead Library, featuring Molly Ramsden interviewing Peter James and Richie Campbell [left to right].](https://thequeensreadingroom.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Queens-Reading-Room-Gateshead-Library-Peter-James-Richie-Campbell-300x225.jpg "Gateshead Library The Queen's Reading Room and Peter James")
Last weekend, The Queen’s Reading Room was delighted to produce a talk with author Peter James and actor Richie Campbell at Gateshead Central Library in Tyne and Wear as part of its 100th anniversary celebration.
The Gateshead Libraries’ event welcomed residents, families, artists and authors for a wonderful array of cultural and creative activities and talks.
On a gloriously sunny Saturday, bestselling crime writer Peter James, known for his much-loved Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series, met with fans and signed copies of his latest book The Hawk is Dead. Fans of ITV’s adaptation of the series Grace queued to meet Richie Campbell, who has been bringing Detective Sergeant Glenn Branson to life since the series began in 2021. Both Peter and Richie spoke to a group of avid readers from our partner, Reading for Wellbeing, an organisation that highlights the emotional, social and community benefits of reading.
The Queen’s Reading Room is on a mission to help everyone make room for reading. We were therefore honoured to join Gateshead Libraries’ celebration: an institution dedicated to putting books at the heart of community life.
With huge thanks to everyone involved, especially Rachel Ridley, Service Manager at Gateshead Central Library, and of course to Peter James and Richie Campbell for their incredible – and at times hilarious – insights into the world of Roy Grace.
3rd February 2026
Judging panel convenes to discuss The Queen’s Reading Room Medal nominations
Today a panel of esteemed judges convened in London to choose the winner of the inaugural Queen’s Reading Room Medal from our shortlisted candidates. The Queen’s Reading Room team read each nomination for this award, and selected the shortlist prior to the Judges’ panel. We were so impressed by the quality of nominations received last year, which detailed inspiring stories from reading heroes all around the nation.
The Queen’s Reading Room Medal celebrates individuals who have championed reading, books and literature in communities around the UK. The award has attracted a stellar judging panel consisting of figures from across the publishing industry including Jonathan Douglas (CEO of The National Literacy Trust), Dan Conway (CEO of The Publishers Association), Nels Abbey (Founder of the Black Writers’ Guild), Baroness Gail Rebuck (Chair of Penguin Random House), Alison Tweed (CEO of Book Aid International), Sarah Mears (Programmes Director for Libraries Connected), and Ann Cleeves (author and Founder of Reading for Wellbeing).
All finalists and the overall winner will be notified of the outcome in due course, and the overall winner will then be presented with the inaugural Queen’s Reading Room Medal at a glittering ceremony in London.
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27th January 2026
The Queen’s Reading Room stages ‘The Hamnet Experience’
On Tuesday 27th January, The Queen’s Reading Room staged ‘The Hamnet Experience’ at The May Fair Hotel in London, in partnership with Universal Pictures and Focus Features. The black-tie private screening celebrated Maggie O’Farrell’s award-winning novel and its stunning cinematic adaptation by Academy Award® winning director Chloé Zhao, starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal.
Upon arrival, guests enjoyed a glass of champagne from Corney & Barrow while admiring some of the exquisite costumes from the film ‘Hamnet’ in the company of costume designer Malgosia Turzanska herself, who shared exclusive insights into bringing the world of ‘Hamnet’ to life through her stunning period designs. The evening continued with a very special Q&A on stage, where The Queen’s Reading Room Trustee, Gyles Brandreth, was joined by author Maggie O’Farrell, producer Liza Marshall, set decorator Alice Felton, casting director Nina Gold and cast members including Joe Alwyn, Jacobi Jupe and Olivia Lynes. The conversation was followed by a screening of ‘Hamnet’: guests witnessed Maggie O’Farrell’s exquisite prose transformed into cinematic poetry in this breathtaking adaptation that captures the intimacy, grief, and enduring power of Shakespeare’s untold family story.
Her Majesty Queen Camilla attended the evening and met cast and crew before joining the audience for the film screening, to the delight of all present.
Thank you to everyone who attended and to all our partners for a truly unforgettable evening.
Photos by Ian Jones
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23rd January 2026
The Queen’s Reading Room unveils second pioneering neuroscience study in partnership with The Bentley Foundation
