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Queen Camilla shared a personal memory of secretly reading DH Lawrence’s provocative novel *Lady Chatterley’s Lover* during her teenage years in the 1960s. She described how the allure of forbidden books intensified the desire to read them, recalling, “As teenagers you read a lot of romances. It was the moment of Lady Chatterley, under our pillows, reading that by torchlight. You know the minute something is forbidden, you want to get hold of it.” This novel, notable for its role in an obscenity trial, was part of a broader reflection she offered on the transformative nature of reading, discussed in the BBC documentary *The Book That Changed My Life*.
Within the program, the Queen also revealed how reading remains an integral part of her married life with the King. “It’s like the best tonic in the world. My husband and I actually read before dinner, just sitting quietly and reading,” she said. She spoke warmly of the King’s fondness for biographies and the comic novels of PG Wodehouse, adding humorously, “I occasionally, when I’m deep in a book, hear him roaring with laughter about something.” Despite the quiet joy reading brings, Camilla acknowledged its emotional impact on her: “It’s very off-putting, I can’t get back into my book, or I’ll suddenly start weeping. But it’s a lovely, quiet time.” She emphasized the irreplaceable role books play in life, suggesting it would be devastating if they ever disappeared.
Reflecting on her own early reading experiences, the Queen said she was captivated by Charles Dickens’s *A Tale of Two Cities*, particularly the scene depicting spectators calmly knitting as the guillotine carried out executions during the French Revolution. She remarked, “Those ghastly women sitting there knitting while everybody had their heads chopped off.” At 79 years old, Queen Camilla acknowledged that she grew up in a generation where women often did not attend university, stating, “I left school quite young. In my day, women didn’t go to university, so I think reading has been most of my education.”
The documentary also explores the power of reading to offer escape and transformation in difficult circumstances. One featured individual, Omar, who discovered a love of books while incarcerated, spoke about reading as a mental refuge from prison life. He recounted his connection with the Queen after the film screening, describing her as “authentic” and genuinely interested in his work in prison education, which addresses high rates of illiteracy among inmates. They shared a poignant connection as Camilla’s father, Bruce Shand, had been a prisoner of war during World War II, relying on books to endure captivity. The Queen recounted his experience: “He said he educated himself. He read every single book, from the Bible to the encyclopedia, whatever was there, he just sat there all day long and read and read. And I think that’s how he survived it.” She also recalled how her father rarely spoke of the war, only revealing his story through his memoir, which deeply moved her.
The documentary highlights moving stories about how literature helps people confront loneliness and loss. Ian, from northeastern England, shared his struggle with isolation following his mother’s death, saying, “I used to sit with my head on the kitchen table, crying. It was such a difficult period of loneliness, of nothingness.” Joining a book group helped Ian find solace and a path back to happiness. Another story comes from Peter, a truck driver from Merseyside, who admitted he struggled with reading and had to seek help after repeatedly making excuses to avoid bedtime stories for his children. Through adult education, Peter learned to read and proudly holds his copy of J.K. Rowling’s *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone*, a landmark in his literacy journey.
The film further underscores the challenge of adult illiteracy in the UK, with estimates that eight million adults have difficulty reading at a basic level. After the screening, John Bird, founder of Big Issue, attributed this problem to systemic political failures, describing it as the “inheritance of poverty.” Bird shared his own experience of learning to read while in prison and commented on the ongoing consequences of neglecting those who struggle with education. He praised Queen Camilla’s literacy campaign for providing a crucial symbolic figurehead, likening her impact to that of other public figures who help raise awareness and support for social causes. Reflecting on the power of literature, the Queen concluded, “I think it’s wonderful books change people’s lives,” sharing a glimpse into how reading has influenced her own journey
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