GB News was interrupted on June 30, 2026, for a breaking news update regarding Queen Camilla's meeting with Harry Potter author JK Rowling in Edinburgh. Anchor Martin Daubney announced the news live on air before handing over to the channel's royal correspondent, Cameron Walker, for further details.
Meeting at the Palace of Holyroodhouse
Daubney stated: "Moving on to a royal story – the Queen and the author JK Rowling have met at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, to discuss the importance of ensuring young people access to books. Let’s now speak with GB News’ royal correspondent Cameron Walker. Cameron, a meeting, if you like, of two queens!"
Walker responded: "Quite, Martin. This came completely by surprise – JK Rowling doesn’t really appear much in public recently. Of course, she has been quite a controversial figure, depending on what you think about the whole gender debate. She believes in supporting women’s spaces and she’s been heavily criticised and attacked online for doing so. Nonetheless, the Queen has decided to publicly invite her, as you can see on your screens now, to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, for a meeting."
Official Statement from Buckingham Palace
Walker added: "Primarily the meeting was, I’ll read a quote from Buckingham Palace: ‘With a shared passion for books and a deep commitment to children reading for pleasure, the Queen and author JK Rowling have met at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. Her Majesty and Ms Rowling discussed the importance of ensuring that young people have access to books, and the vital part reading plays in opening doors for future generations.’"
Walker noted the symbolic significance: "Of course, JK Rowling is world famous for writing the Harry Potter franchise, among other books. It’s kind of a full circle for her because 30 years to the day, almost, just a stone’s throw from the palace of Holyrood House, she was writing the first Harry Potter book in a cafe. Now she is literally meeting royalty 30 years later."
Mixed Reactions on Social Media
The meeting sparked a debate on social media. One X user criticised: "The Royal Family standing proudly with probably the biggest trans hate preacher in the world. Shows how out of touch the monarchy is. Tick-tock." Another commented: "This is in such bad taste." A third agreed: "The Royal Family should not be posing for photographs with one of the worst trans-baiters in the world today and then posting them on the very platform where she promotes her hate." However, supporters also emerged, with one writing: "Queen Rowling! Queen Camilla! Thank you!"
