Her Majesty The Queen championed the power of the written word in Edinburgh on Monday, launching the UK's first national year of reading in nearly two decades. The event, held at the National Library of Scotland, saw Camilla engage with schoolchildren, celebrated authors, and even a legendary comic book mischief-maker in a vibrant push to boost literacy across the nation.
A Royal Boost for Books and Comics
As patron of the National Literacy Trust (NLT), the Queen's visit marked a significant moment for the charity's ambitious campaign. The initiative, the first of its kind since 2008, comes in direct response to concerning statistics. A 2025 survey of 7,739 young people in Scotland revealed that only three in ten (30.3%) enjoyed reading in their free time, with a mere one in six (16.8%) reading daily for pleasure.
Camilla joined a roundtable with representatives from pivotal organisations including the Scottish Book Trust and publisher DC Thomson, famous for the Beano comic. The literary royalty was joined by Scottish authors Jackie Kay, Val McDermid, and Sir Ian Rankin, underscoring the cross-sector support for the drive.
Dennis, Gnasher and a Royal Sketch
The launch was brought to life by pupils from Granton and Clovenstone primary schools, who presented the Queen with their own invented comic characters. The event took a playful turn as illustrators from DC Thomson led a masterclass in drawing the iconic Dennis the Menace and his dog Gnasher.
In a memorable moment, Camilla even tried her hand at sketching the famous duo. The collaboration culminated in the creation of a bespoke three-panel Beano comic strip, depicting Dennis and Gnasher's fictional meeting with the Queen at the library, crafted with input from the excited children.
Tackling the Literacy Crisis Head-On
The NLT warns that the decline in reading for pleasure means young people are missing out on crucial skills and benefits. The charity states children risk falling behind in reading ability, wellbeing, empathy, confidence, learning, and creativity.
Jonathan Douglas CBE, Chief Executive of the NLT, said the campaign was a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" to change the nation's relationship with reading. "The national year of reading can inspire every child, young person and adult to go all in on their passions, feed their curiosities and connect with others through reading – in 2026 and beyond," he stated.
Ambassador and author Val McDermid echoed the sentiment, calling reading "the greatest gift we can give our children. And ourselves." David Hayman, director of the national year of reading, emphasised the campaign's 'go all in' message, aimed at reaching people where they are and "getting them excited about rediscovering the power, joy and relevance" of reading.
The initiative highlights comic books, song lyrics, and fiction as particularly popular materials with younger audiences, pointing to a diverse strategy to re-engage the UK with the joy of reading.
