Queen Camilla during a visit to meet children, families and staff at Childrens Hospice South West’s (CHSW) Charlton Farm children’s hospice, in Bristol. (Press Association via AP Images)
The Queen’s Reading Room will launch a podcast series in January, spearheaded by the charity established by Queen Camilla, with a star-studded line-up.
A brainchild of the former Duchess of Cornwall, the Queen’s Reading Room evolved from an Instagram-based book club initiated by Camilla in 2021. Amidst the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, the club sought to celebrate books and reading.
The podcast series will span eight episodes, with a special bonus episode featuring Susie Dent, the renowned lexicographer and Countdown star. Hosted by the charity’s chief, former BBC journalist Vicki Perrin, the series will delve into the personal reading and literary interests of its guests.
The opening episode promises an intimate conversation with the acclaimed 63-year-old crime fiction writer, Sir Ian Rankin, who will share tales of his childhood and his blossoming love for literature. Following him, the 77-year-old
The lineup also boasts an array of distinguished figures, including poet Joseph Coelho, novelist Elif Shafak, comedian David Baddiel, American writer Ann Patchett, Bonnie Garmus – the author of Lessons In Chemistry, and Frank Cottrell-Boyce, a screenwriter and novelist.
Apart from the podcast, the charity has also confirmed the return of the Queen’s Reading Room Festival at Hampton Court Palace on June 8th.