Queen Camilla is celebrating her 79th birthday today, 17 July 2026, with the release of a new official photograph and the announcement of a significant new initiative to promote children's literacy across the UK. The photograph, captured last month in the state drawing room of Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland, shows Her Majesty in a long blue dress.
Buckingham Palace confirmed that the Queen is marking her birthday with a renewed focus on her long-standing commitment to supporting children's reading. This commitment will see every Year 6 and Primary 6 child throughout the UK receive a special edition of Katherine Rundell's acclaimed book, 'Impossible Creatures', this Christmas. Each gifted copy will include a personal message from the Queen, who describes the book as a "brilliant fantasy that will introduce you to a host of mythical friends and terrifying enemies."
The extensive book gifting and reading programme has been developed in partnership with the National Literacy Trust, an organisation of which the Queen is a patron. This initiative forms a key part of the National Year of Reading 2026, a broader campaign designed to inspire a love of reading and integrate it into daily life for young people. The books will be distributed to children through their schools and local libraries, ensuring wide accessibility.
The Queen's dedication to promoting reading and literacy is well-established. Her public work in this area includes the establishment of The Reading Room charity, which aims to highlight the numerous benefits of reading for all ages. Just last month, the Queen met with 'Harry Potter' author J.K. Rowling at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, where they discussed their mutual passion for books and the vital importance of encouraging children to read, marking the start of Royal Week in the city. Her Majesty has also previously supported the BBC's '500 Words' creative writing competition for children.
This birthday announcement underscores the Queen's ongoing efforts to foster a culture of reading among younger generations. By directly providing books to thousands of children and collaborating with key literacy organisations, the initiative hopes to ignite imaginations and build foundational reading skills across the nation, contributing to the broader goals of the National Year of Reading 2026.