The Queen has urged children to put down their phones and pick up reading instead.
Queen Camilla, 78, made one of her most candid literacy interventions to date amid the reading for pleasure crisis facing young people with the rise of smartphones.
Speaking at the grand final of BBC 500 Words, the children’s writing competition, she told hosts Alex Jones and Roman Kemp: ‘Anybody who hears these stories will see how inspired these children are, and I think to get children reading and writing stories, especially nowadays, is so important.’
‘Also, it gives them time to get away from some of their phones,’ the Queen continued. ‘So I think it’s so important that children keep on reading and writing, it’s the best thing you could possibly do and it will take you all on adventures all over the world.’
Her Majesty’s words of advice for young people were delivered to an audience of children and their parents at Windsor Castle, where she hosted the event on February 25.
It comes as just 33 per cent of children aged over eight say they enjoy reading in their free time, according to the National Literacy Trust, down from 51 per cent two decades ago.
The Department for Education has joined with the charity, of which the Queen is patron, to declare 2026 a ‘national year of reading’, with events being organised in a concerted campaign to reverse the trend.
In a separate speech at the BBC 500 Words event, Camilla credited the ’50 brilliant finalists’ of the competition, telling them: ‘Through the magic of your pens and devices, you have brought your imaginations to life and led your readers on breath-taking explorations.’
Queen Camilla said she thinks it’s so important that children keep on reading and writing (pictured: Queen Camilla (L) with Alex Jones (R) and Roman Kemp (M))
Queen Camilla greets Paddington Bear and Marisha Wallace during a reception with finalists, judges and celebrity readers, to celebrate the final of BBC’s creative writing competition 500 Words at Windsor Castle
Quoting AA Milne, she added: ‘Always remember: ‘You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think’…which makes you all winners.’
This year’s competition received more than 46,500 entries from across the UK, and last week six young authors were crowned as the winners with stories ranging from Mars space travel to haunted fairgrounds.
Their entries were read by celebrities including Jodie Whittaker, the Doctor Who star, Joanna Page of Gavin and Stacey, Bradley and Barney Walsh, the father and son TV presenters, Sara Cox, the BBC DJ and author, Paterson Joseph, the RSC actor and award-winning writer, and Big Zuu, the rapper and TV personality.
The special, broadcast during Friday evening’s The One Show, also saw Kemp admiring items cared for by the Royal Library, including what is believed to be the first dedicated book in the late Queen Elizabeth II’s collection.
The 1926 signed edition of Winnie-the-Pooh sits inside a hardcover emblazoned with ‘E’ for Elizabeth and was given to the young princess the year she was born.
The guests were also joined by judges Sir Lenny Henry, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Francesca Simon, Charlie Higson, Rose Ayling-Ellis and former Children’s Laureate Malorie Blackman.
Queen Camilla, who has supported the competition since 2015, joined the panel earlier this year to discuss the shortlisted stories.
Her Majesty has made it her mission to champion literacy as one of her lifelong causes as a working royal through patronages and her own initiatives, including the book club she founded in lockdown that transformed into The Queen’s Reading Room charity.
Last month, she described the charity’s mission to get people reading as ‘more urgent than ever,’ warning that global reading rates are at their ‘very lowest’.
She awarded all six winners of the competition last week in Windsor Castle’s Waterloo Chamber, and the silver winners will receive the height of Her Majesty in books.
The Gold winners, meanwhile, will receive the height of Sir Lenny (6ft 3in) in books as well as 500 books for their schools, while bronze winners will take home the amount of novels equal to the average height of a seven or 11-year old.
Cerys Griffiths, Head of BBC Bitesize, which supports the competition, said: ‘Every year, BBC 500 Words reminds us just how extraordinary children’s imaginations are. This year’s winners have amazed us with their creativity, and we’re proud to celebrate their achievements.
‘We hope every child who took part keeps discovering the joy of storytelling.’