Queen Camilla has confessed her dislike for science fiction books during a visit to Heywood Hill, an independent bookshop in London known for its personalised reading consultations. The admission came as she participated in a consultation where customers detail their literary preferences to receive a tailored year-long book subscription.
Queen's Favourite Books Revealed
During the consultation with deputy bookshop manager Harriet Bibby on Tuesday, Camilla was asked to name her all-time top reads. She selected the Cazalet Chronicles by Elizabeth Jane Howard as her “absolute favourite”, followed by The Count Of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. She also praised A Gentleman In Moscow by Amor Towles as “wonderful” and expressed admiration for British novelists William Boyd and Anthony Horowitz.
When asked about genres she dislikes, Camilla responded without hesitation: “I hate sci-fi,” pronouncing it “sky-fi”. She added with a laugh: “That, I’m afraid, is not my favourite. I’m sure a lot of people love it, but, um… No science fiction. No, I can’t do that, you have to have some things you love and some things you really don’t love, and that really is one I don’t love.”
Bookshop's 90th Anniversary Celebration
The visit marked Heywood Hill's 90th anniversary. The Queen estimated that her reading consists of 80% fiction and 20% non-fiction. She also helped pack a book for delivery, working alongside two full-time packers. One lucky customer will receive an order wrapped by the Queen herself.
Camilla was logged on the staff rota as “CR” with a crown symbol, which was pinned on the packing room door. She folded the brown paper covering of The Renoir Girls by Catherine Ostler and tied a blue ribbon bow.
Plaque Unveiling and Community Engagement
After touring the store's four main rooms, Camilla unveiled a plaque renaming one room the “Queen’s Room”. A crowd gathered outside with cameras while she was inside. Accompanied by bookshop chief executive Nicky Dunne, she exited the front door and crossed a zebra crossing to Shepherd Market, where she spoke with local business owners and traders.
