Alan Bennett has described his astonishment at reaching 90, saying he still feels “not yet grown up” despite a life marked by literary acclaim and encounters with royalty. In a diary entry for his 90th year, the playwright and author recounts a recent visit to Windsor Castle for the revamp of the royal dolls’ house, where he met Queen Elizabeth II.
Bennett, who used a wheelchair during the visit, wrote that the Queen “appears without being announced, and mingles, chatting, admirable throughout”. He noted that she recalled their previous meeting at Clarence House and that the conversation was “very easy, no formality”. The author was the only one mentioned by name in the Queen’s speech, possibly because he was in her eyeline.
Reflecting on his age, Bennett admitted: “It is absurd to say that I feel I am not yet grown up. I am not laying claim to perpetual youth (though 89 is something of a surprise).” He added that he has never acquired the “dignity, common sense, still less worldly wisdom” that supposedly come with age.
Bennett also revealed the extent of his dependence on his civil partner, Rupert Thomas, describing how Thomas helps him upstairs, brushes his teeth, and turns down the sheets. “I’m so looked after these days that sometimes home resembles a five-star hotel,” he wrote.
The author, who turned 90 in May 2024, said he sometimes forgets whether he has eaten or whether it is time for bed. He also confessed that the party he would most like to attend is his own funeral, to see who came and what they said.
Bennett’s diary entries are published in the London Review of Books, offering a candid and humorous glimpse into his life at 90.
