Her Majesty The Queen to Appear in New BBC Programme on Power of Books

A documentary which will will mark the UK-wide National Year of Reading 2026 and celebrate the transformative power of reading will also include an interview with Queen Camilla.

An avid reader herself, she has a passionate interest in shining a spotlight on the importance of reading, founding The Queen’s Reading Room and acting as Patron of several organisations which foster and facilitate reading across the UK including Book Aid International, First Story, Silver Stories and The National Literacy Trust. In a recent edition of Antiques Roadshow she also discussed her interest in book collecting.

In a special contribution, Queen Camilla will reflect on her lifelong love of literature, sharing the childhood experiences that first sparked her passion for reading and the comfort she still finds in books. These include personal recollections of her father, Major Bruce Shand, and his experience being held in a German prisoner-of-war camp when reading reinforced a lifelong enthusiasm for the written word which he later imparted to his daughter.

Alongside Her Majesty The Queen, the documentary produced in partnership with The Open University, will feature individuals from a wide range of backgrounds who all believe in the power of reading. The film, due to air later this year, will also explore the growing scientific evidence that demonstrates how reading can improve health and wellbeing.

“The simple act of opening the pages of a book can be one of the most powerful and transformational choices we can make," said Suzy Klein, Head of BBC Arts and Classical Music TV. "Books aren’t trying to distract us or sell us anything, instead they take us outside our own problems and challenges to a whole new world. As we mark the National Year of Reading, we hope to inspire people of all ages to pick up a book, to see the world in new ways and potentially change their own lives."

Further literature-focused programming from BBC Arts in 2026 includes a new three-part series about Charles Dickens, new episodes of The Read exploring titles such as Little Women and Oliver Twist, and newly commissioned BBC Bookworm content for TikTok.