Addressing an audience in Derbyshire, The Queen described literature as possessing a "life-enhancing power", appearing publicly following recent allegations directed at the King in serialized extracts from Earl Spencer’s new book regarding Diana, Princess of Wales.
Camilla was greeted with applause as she arrived at Chatsworth House for the opening day of a weekend festival organized by The Queen’s Reading Room, the charity she established after launching an Instagram book club during the pandemic.
Taking place across Saturday and Sunday at the Grade I listed Peak District estate, the event marks the charity's fourth festival.
She was received by Lord William Burlington, chairman of The Chatsworth House Trust, who expressed that partnering with the initiative for two consecutive years was "a huge thrill".
Speaking inside the Painted Hall of the estate, which houses a collection exceeding 17,000 volumes, Camilla remarked that visiting Chatsworth felt "like coming home".
Addressing attendees, she said: "I created my Reading Room simply because, like all of us here, I love books and their life-enhancing power and I want to share that love with others.
"In those early days, I had no idea if anybody would be interested but six years on, we are a global community of millions from over 180 countries, swapping recommendations, undertaking research and donating thousands of books to women’s refuges and homeless shelters."
Highlighting the historical significance of the location, she added: "There could hardly be a more fitting location for a literary festival than Chatsworth, a house that has inspired and hosted countless authors, including Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell and William Makepeace Thackeray, among many others.
"Future generations will, no doubt, boast of the day when William Boyd, Elif Shafak, Robert Harris and Kate Mosse were guests here too."
The event follows critical claims made against the King by Earl Spencer in a memoir about his late sister Diana, which drew an "unprecedented" statement from Buckingham Palace stating that "the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason".
In Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, Earl Spencer asserts that the King appeared "giddily elated… like a lottery winner" during a telephone conversation following the princess’s death.
The book further alleges that Charles exhibited a "stream of anger" when the earl argued that Princes William and Harry, who were 15 and 12 at the time, should not walk behind their mother's funeral procession.
Speaking in a BBC interview clip broadcast on Friday, Earl Spencer maintained he is "telling the truth" while branding the King’s remarks regarding his sister as "monstrous".
Dressed in blue, the Queen met with members representing four regional reading groups, including the Elm Foundation, an organisation supporting individuals impacted by domestic abuse.
During the event, she announced her four autumn book selections: Finding Belle by Reeta Chakrabarti, The Picture Of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, Whistler by Ann Patchett, and Sashenka by Simon Sebag Montefiore.
News presenter Chakrabarti, present for the announcement, expressed her gratitude to the Queen, stating: "Well, I don’t know what to say. Thank you so much for choosing it, and I’m going to read the others."
Praising Chakrabarti's debut work, Camilla observed: "It’s a very good book, I highly recommend it to everybody."
Broadcaster Gyles Brandreth, serving as a charity trustee, stated: "Millions of people around the world are now reading books recommended by Her Majesty and people she’s invited to help her choose books."
Following her remarks in the Painted Hall, the Queen attended a recital of William Sieghart’s The Poetry Pharmacy, featuring readings by actor Natascha McElhone, whose screen credits include The Truman Show, Ronin, and Solaris.
The visit concluded in the Sculpture Gallery, where The Queen met participating authors at a reception, including Jack Reacher creator Lee Child and Turkish-British author Elif Shafak.
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