The Queen emphasised the importance of “togetherness” in a speech at her literary festival over the weekend after a series of allegations were made about the King in extracts from Earl Spencer’s memoir about the life of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Camilla, 79, was welcomed with applause to her Queen’s Reading Room Literary Festival at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, as it returned for a fourth year on Saturday and Sunday.
During a speech in the Painted Hall, the royal said she had been “recently reminded” of a “rather beautiful proverb”, emphasising the importance of unity.
Quoting it, she read: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go Together.”
She added: “The fact that we have “gone far” is due to the incredible support by a huge number of book lovers: writers, actors, publishers and, above all, readers. Thanks to all of you.”
Though she did not specifically address the public fallout between King Charles and his former brother-in-law, Charles Spencer, her comment appeared timely ahead of the Earl’s book being published on Tuesday.
What has Charles Spencer said about King Charles so far?
Charles Spencer’s book about his late sister, Princess Diana, continues to be serialised in the Mail, alongside a series of high-profile interviews.
The book – Swan Song: Diana, My Sister – alleges that Charles subjected the Earl to a “stream of anger” after he insisted Diana would not have wanted Princes William and Harry, then aged 15 and 12, to walk in her funeral procession.
© Instagram / @charles.earl.spencerAmong the Earl’s most serious allegations are claims that the then-Prince Charles said of his ex-wife: “We’ll forget her soon enough,” following her tragic death in a car crash in 1997.
Earl Spencer further claimed that the King sounded “giddily elated… like a lottery winner” when he rang the Earl following the princess’s death.
© Tim Graham Photo Library via GetIn a BBC interview released on Friday, the Earl, who recently married for the fourth time, insisted he is “telling the truth” and described the King’s comments about his sister as “monstrous”.
Buckingham Palace responded: “The pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason.”
Queen Camilla’s Reading Room festival returns for 2026
The charity held its fourth festival at the Grade I listed stately home in the Peak District on Saturday and Sunday.
The Queen was welcomed by Lord William Burlington, the chairman of The Chatsworth House Trust, who said it was “a huge thrill” to collaborate with The Queen’s Reading Room for a second consecutive year.
Camilla said being at Chatsworth House, which has a library of over 17,000 books, was “like coming home”.
© Getty ImagesShe told the guests: “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.”
Wearing a blue dress, the Queen spoke to members of four local book clubs at Chatsworth House, including those from the Elm Foundation, a charity which helps people affected by domestic abuse.
She then revealed her four book recommendations for autumn – Finding Belle by Reeta Chakrabarti, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, Whistler by Ann Patchett and Sashenka by Simon Sebag Montefiore.
After the Queen gave her speech in the Painted Hall, she heard a performance of William Sieghart’s The Poetry Pharmacy, with readings by actress Natascha McElhone, known for her roles in The Truman Show, Ronin and Solaris.
In the Sculpture Gallery, The Queen attended a reception with literary figures taking part in the festival, including Lee Child, who wrote the Jack Reacher novel series, and Turkish-British novelist Elif Shafak.
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