Queen Camilla joined forces with comic book royalty during a visit to Edinburgh, where she was immortalised in a Beano strip to champion a national literacy campaign.
A Royal Endorsement for Modern Reading
During her engagement at the National Library of Scotland in central Edinburgh on 19 January 2026, the Queen, 78, was presented with a unique cartoon. In the specially created strip, a drawn version of Camilla comes to the aid of the mischievous Dennis the Menace and his dog Gnasher.
The comic sees the Queen outline "new rules," telling the characters: "Go all in for the National Year of Reading, Dennis! Comics and audiobooks count too!" Laughing at the presentation, Camilla, who was three when Dundee publisher DC Thomson created Dennis, affirmed this message to pupils from Granton Primary School.
"I was brought up on the Beano, too. It’s been going a long time," she said, later joking about her flattering cartoon likeness, "I wish!"
Launching the 'Go All In' Campaign
The Queen was at the library to officially launch the National Year of Reading campaign in Scotland. As patron of the National Literacy Trust since 2010, she spearheaded the initiative designed to encourage everyone to develop a reading habit, even if just for five minutes a day.
Joining a roundtable discussion, Camilla expressed concern over library closures, learning that 54 libraries in Scotland had shut since 2014. She emphasised the importance of the campaign, stating: "Just to get everybody reading again, especially now, is so important. The battle against these machines. Get them back to books."
Her visit highlighted stark new data. The National Literacy Trust revealed that in 2025, reading enjoyment among UK children aged 8-16 fell to a 20-year low, with only 32.7% enjoying reading in their free time. In Scotland, the figures were worse, with just 3 in 10 young people saying they enjoyed it.
Drawing with Dennis and Meeting Literary Icons
The engagement blended pop culture with serious advocacy. Camilla tried her hand at drawing Dennis and Gnasher alongside pupils from Clovenstone Primary School, with her efforts hailed as "spectacular" by Jonathan Douglas, Chief Executive of the National Literacy Trust.
She also met ambassadors of the literacy trust, including renowned authors Sir Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, and poet Jackie Kay. Kay recalled the Queen remembering a joke she told years earlier, showing Camilla's personal engagement.
The visit connected past and present. Camilla was shown the ceremonial golden key used by Queen Elizabeth II to open the building in 1956. She also learned about the library's history, including the crucial £200,000 donation from biscuit magnate Sir Alexander Grant, which allowed its construction after WWII delays.
Camilla's final act was to pose for a photograph on the library stairs with supporters and children, after shaking hands with a life-sized Dennis and Gnasher, cementing a memorable day where royalty met comic mischief for a vital cause.
