Queen Camilla says reading rates are at their very lowest

Queen Camilla said global reading rates are at their 'very lowest' as she marks the fifth anniversary of The Queen's Reading Room; UK and UNICEF figures cited falling enjoyment and basic reading ability among children.

Queen Camilla has urged people to pick up a book while marking the fifth anniversary of The Queen's Reading Room, the charity and online book club she founded during the Covid lockdown. She described current global reading levels as a pressing concern and said the charity would continue efforts to promote literature and literacy. The appeal follows data from UK and international organisations showing declines in children's enjoyment of reading and in basic reading ability. Key points: - The National Literacy Trust reports that 32.7% of children and young people aged eight to 18 in the UK said they enjoyed reading in 2025, the lowest level since the question was first asked in 2005. - Around one in two UK adults reads a book in a year, and 46% of people said they struggle to finish a book because of distractions. - UNICEF recently reported that an estimated 70% of 10-year-olds in low- and middle-income countries were unable to read and understand a simple written story, up from about 57% before the pandemic. - The Queen's Reading Room marked its fifth year with roughly 186,000 followers worldwide and its charity has donated more than 2,300 books to 11 grassroots locations. Summary: The article reports falling reading engagement and basic reading ability among children in UK and international data, and presents Queen Camilla's remarks on the issue as she marks her charity's fifth anniversary. Her charity says it will continue its work to support literacy; Undetermined at this time.