Queen Camilla has been praised for the profound and transformative impact her reading charity has had on homeless individuals, as she visited a St Mungo's accommodation service in South East London on Wednesday. The 77-year-old monarch joined broadcaster Lorraine Kelly and author Elif Shafak to see how a reading scheme is boosting wellbeing and confidence among those recovering from homelessness.
Partnership with The Queen's Reading Room
The Queen's Reading Room partnered with St Mungo's in 2024 after a colleague started a book group for people supported by the charity. Since early 2025, the charity has donated hundreds of books, bookshelves, and a bespoke training toolkit for frontline teams and volunteers to run book clubs. The partnership has helped individuals increase confidence, boost wellbeing, and engage with support services for the first time, directly impacting recovery from homelessness.
Queen's Visit to the Centre
During a tour, Camilla met staff and volunteers, including service managers and complex needs workers, who play a vital role in keeping people safe. She also heard from several individuals supported by the charity. One person told her that their confidence had grown after rediscovering the joy of reading they had as a child. In the centre's Activities Room, featuring large sofas and a bespoke bookshelf by Royal Warrant Holder Woodpecker Joinery, Camilla admired the variety of genres, from Richard Osman to Jeffrey Archer and Danielle Steel, saying, 'It is so great that there is something for everyone.'
Personal Stories of Transformation
Former client Lee became emotional when he told the Queen that three months earlier, he had been living on the street and found great comfort in reading. Now in permanent accommodation thanks to St Mungo's, he said, 'Reading helped me so much when I was through the system, because it's scary. And having a book to read is that little bit of an escape, like an oasis from the situation.' Lee, who now runs a weekly creative writing workshop, added, 'Reading for me did what getting drunk did for other people. I didn't have to use that escape. I was using stories.'
Book Donation and Speech
To celebrate the visit, Camilla donated 20 books based on a Book Menu reflecting residents' interests, including Wuthering Heights, War Horse, A Gentleman in Moscow, and Black Beauty. She stacked the books onto the shelves and said, 'Well, we've filled up the bookshelf.' She also chatted with Lorraine Kelly about their shared love of reading. Kelly said, 'The greatest gift in the world [is reading],' and noted she always carries a book in her bag, to which Camilla replied, 'So have I.'
Emma Haddad, Chief Executive of St Mungo's, said the reading scheme has had a profound and transformative impact, helping people engage with support services, increase confidence, and improve mental wellbeing. Camilla expressed her gladness that her reading room is helping people find escapism, saying, 'As we know, books do so much for people, it is a wonderful way of escapism and taking them out of their life and into another one.'
Impact of the Reading Scheme
St Mungo's, one of England's leading homelessness charities, helped more than 28,000 people across 138 services last year. The reading scheme is now established in nine centres. Milena, supported since 2019, said the arrival of books from The Queen's Reading Room thrilled her. She rediscovered her joy for reading, founded a book club, and saw her confidence grow. 'Reading has always been a passion of mine since I was a child. I can spend hours reading history books in particular as they help me relate to people and understand my place in the world more,' she said.
