Queen Camilla has offered a glimpse into the reading habits of King Charles III, revealing that the British monarch enjoys biographies and sometimes bursts into laughter while reading at home.
Camilla made the revelation during a BBC documentary titled The Book That Changed My Life, which explores how literature has influenced people’s lives and helped them navigate difficult personal experiences. The programme is scheduled to air on BBC Two and iPlayer on October 14.
According to the Queen, she and Charles often spend quiet moments reading before dinner, making it a cherished part of their daily routine. However, the King’s occasional laughter can interrupt her concentration when she is absorbed in her own book.
Beyond revealing her husband’s literary preference, Camilla reflected on how reading became an important part of her upbringing. She credited her late father, Major Bruce Shand, with introducing her and her siblings to books at a young age.
She recalled being immersed in classic stories such as Treasure Island and Peter Pan, explaining that books exposed them to different worlds and broadened their understanding of life. She also stressed the importance of encouraging children to develop a reading habit early.
The Queen’s appreciation for literature is also linked to her father’s wartime experiences. Shand served during the Second World War, fought in North Africa, received the Military Cross twice and was wounded before being captured and held in a German prisoner-of-war camp for two and a half years.
Camilla explained that reading helped her father endure his captivity, as he reportedly went through every available book, from the Bible to encyclopaedias. Although he rarely discussed his wartime experiences with his family, he documented them in his book, Previous Engagements.
Reading the account later gave Camilla a deeper understanding of her father’s experiences, leaving her deeply moved by what she discovered. She described the book as a heartfelt account of a period of his life that had largely remained unexplained to his family.
The documentary also highlights the impact of books on people who have faced personal struggles. Among those featured is Ian Kirby, from Gateshead, who experienced severe depression following a traumatic incident at home. He said joining a local book club and reading the autobiography of former boxer Glenn McCrory helped him gain a new perspective on his circumstances.
Through the programme, Camilla hopes to demonstrate how literature can offer comfort, inspiration and a renewed sense of purpose. Her advocacy for reading also extends to the Queen’s Reading Room, an initiative launched five years ago to encourage a lasting love of books among adults and children.
The Queen maintains that literature offers a unique opportunity to understand other people’s experiences and explore different perspectives. For her, the message behind the documentary is simple: books can do more than entertain; they can transform lives.
