Queen Camilla and actress Sarah Jessica Parker attended a literary event at the New York Public Library on Tuesday, as part of the Queen’s Reading Room initiative. The occasion brought together around 100 guests, including authors and broadcasters, to celebrate books and storytelling.
Parker, best known for her role in Sex and the City, wore a baby-pink polka dot dress with a frilled collar, a style reminiscent of Princess Diana’s 1980s fashion. Queen Camilla opted for a navy crepe silk coat dress by Fiona Clare, accessorised with a Britannia brooch once owned by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
In her speech, Camilla described the library as “one of the world’s greatest libraries and somewhere I have always wanted to visit.” She reflected on her childhood love of reading, saying: “The first Americans I knew and loved were the characters I met in my treasured children’s novels: Little Women, What Katy Did, Charlotte’s Web… I knew, even then, that books are the best friend you can have – in good times and bad.”
Parker, who had previously met the Queen, expressed her gratitude for the monarch’s focus on literacy. “To have her shine a spotlight on reading and the relationship between a reader and a book and how it changes lives and enriches lives and cultivates empathy and curiosity, I’m so grateful,” she said.
After the reception, the pair explored rare literary works and artefacts marking America’s 250th anniversary. The Queen also gifted a handcrafted soft toy named Roo to complete the library’s Winnie the Pooh collection, delighting young children present.
