Queen Camilla, 79, appears in the BBC documentary “The Book That Changed My Life,” offering a rare glimpse into her evening routine with King Charles. The pair spend time reading before dinner, a quiet habit that is sometimes broken by the King’s laughter or the Queen’s tears.

Reading as family time

Camilla explains that when she is “deep in a book” she may hear Charles laughing loudly, often because he is enjoying a classic by P.G. Wodehouse. She adds that he also enjoys biographies, while she prefers historical fiction and thrillers. The moments of shared reading, she says, provide a welcome escape from the stresses of public life.

Charity work to revive youth reading

Beyond her personal love of books, Camilla has been a lifelong reader and recently launched a charity dedicated to promoting the benefits of reading. The effort follows a successful pandemic‑era book club she ran on social media. The charity works with the National Literacy Trust, which reported that the percentage of children and young people who enjoy books fell to its lowest level in twenty years last year.

Camilla emphasizes that reading was a major part of her own education after leaving school early. “You learn so much about people, about life,” she says. She recalls how books helped her father survive more than two years as a prisoner of war in Germany during the early 1940s, an experience he later chronicled in his own memoir.

National partnership to boost literacy

The documentary highlights the partnership between Camilla’s charity, the National Literacy Trust, and the UK government as they strive to reverse the downward trend in reading for enjoyment. While the government’s specific initiatives are not detailed, the collaboration signals a shared commitment to encouraging families to read together.

Camilla notes that reading allows people to “immerse yourself into other people’s lives” and can relieve stress. She hopes that the documentary will inspire more households to make reading a regular part of daily life.

Royal family context

King Charles continues treatment for cancer and is dealing with family matters, including the legal situation involving his brother, Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor, and the ongoing relationship with his younger son, Prince Harry, who has returned from the United States to live in Britain. These personal challenges are mentioned only in passing, underscoring the documentary’s focus on the positive impact of books.

Meanwhile, a memoir titled “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister” by Charles Spencer has become a bestseller, though Buckingham Palace has strongly rejected its portrayal of conversations surrounding Princess Diana’s death.

Looking ahead

The documentary will air on the BBC on Wednesday, offering viewers a chance to see the royal couple’s reading habit and learn about the broader effort to rekindle a love of books among British youth.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.