Her Majesty The Queen will feature in a new BBC Arts documentary exploring the life-changing impact of books, marking the UK-wide National Year of Reading 2026. The film, produced in partnership with The Open University, celebrates the transformative power of reading through personal stories of individuals whose lives have been changed by discovering the joy of literature.
An avid reader herself, Queen Camilla reflects on her lifelong love of literature, sharing childhood experiences that first sparked her passion, including personal recollections of her father, Major Bruce Shand, and his time in a German prisoner-of-war camp. She also discusses the comfort she still finds in books, reinforcing her role as Patron of several literacy charities.
Alongside the Queen, the documentary features individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those who have found solace in books while in prison, overcome depression through a local book club, or found inspiration to change their lives. The film also explores growing scientific evidence that reading improves health and wellbeing.
The 60-minute documentary, entitled Her Majesty The Queen: The Power of Reading, is a Blink Films production for BBC Two and iPlayer. It was commissioned by Suzy Klein, with Amanda Goodman as Commissioning Editor, and directed by Toby Trackman, known for the award-winning The Last Musician of Auschwitz.
Further literature-focused BBC programming in 2026 includes a new series on Charles Dickens, new episodes of The Read, and commissioned BBC Bookworm content for TikTok.
