Queen Camilla has revealed that she and King Charles spend their evenings reading before dinner, and that she sometimes ends up in tears while absorbed in a book. In a new BBC documentary, she admitted: "My husband and I actually read before dinner, we just like sitting quietly and reading."
She added: "I occasionally, when I'm deep in a book, I'll hear him roaring with laughter about something. It's very off-putting. Or I'll suddenly start weeping."
Documentary on the power of books
The Queen made the comments in the BBC programme The Book That Changed My Life, which is set to air on Wednesday. The documentary aims to reverse the decline in reading for pleasure in the UK.
Reflecting on the role books have played in her life, she told viewers: "I left school quite young, so reading has been most of my education. You learn so much about people, about life."
Describing reading as a way to switch off from the outside world, she continued: "You're not thinking of yourself when you're reading, you can immerse yourself into other people's lives and that does relieve the stress."
Childhood love of reading
The 79-year-old also revealed that her passion for books began in childhood, when she was frequently read to from a young age. "I don't think our childhood would've been the same if we hadn't had books," she said. "I think people who don't read miss out so much. That's why I think it's so important to get children reading early."
Her commitment to literacy extends to public initiatives. Through The Queen's Reading Room, a literary charity that grew out of her Instagram book club during the pandemic, she promotes reading for pleasure, wellbeing and connection. She also supports literary festivals, author discussions and readings.
Support for children's writing
The Queen serves as royal host of the BBC's 500 Words competition, a national creative-writing contest for children aged five to 11, a role she has held for more than a decade. In 2026, she welcomed the 50 finalists to Windsor Castle for the awards ceremony, where she presented medals to the winners.
Her latest admission follows comments she reportedly made about her marriage to Charles, whom she married in 2005. According to HELLO! Magazine, she told reporters last year: "Twenty years, who could believe it was 20 years? What is the secret? I don't know… well… I suppose it's just sort of friendship, really. Laughing at the same things, getting on with life. I suppose doing this, takes up most of the time."
