Queen Camilla Meets J.K. Rowling in Edinburgh for Literacy

Queen Camilla met with author J.K. Rowling at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on Tuesday, June 30, to discuss their shared commitment to promoting literacy and children’s reading. The royal family’s official Instagram account posted a photograph of the pair smiling together, accompanied by a statement detailing their conversation about ensuring young people have access to books and the role reading plays in opening doors for future generations.

The meeting occurred during Royal Week, also known as Holyrood Week, an annual series of events where the monarch celebrates Scottish culture and community. Both Camilla and Rowling are known for their advocacy related to literature; the Queen is an avid reader and patron of literary organizations who launched a book club that evolved into the charity The Queen’s Reading Room. Rowling, the creator of the globally popular Harry Potter series, was made a Companion of Honour by Prince William in 2017 for her contributions to literature and philanthropy.

The palace emphasized that the discussion focused solely on literacy, with officials declining to comment further. However, the meeting drew swift and sharp criticism online,...