Military heroes offered free tickets for Queen Camilla's literary festival
The Queen's Reading Room charity has joined forces with the military charity Tickets For Troops to offer free tickets to members of the Armed Forces for its first-ever literary festival at Hampton Court Palace.
Her Majesty's newly formed charity is giving away 2,500 tickets to the military as well as NHS staff and other charity workers.
On her new charity's website, Camilla, who became Queen on Coronation Day, said: "With their extraordinary power to educate and inspire, books – from authors around the globe – have enriched my life since I was a child.
"It has therefore been such a joy to watch my Reading Room grow over the years into a thriving book community.
"Now a charity, I hope that we, together with our partners, can foster in adults and children alike a lifelong love of literature and connect more people with that special magic that can only be found in the leaves of a book."
Since December 2021, Camilla has been the Patron of Forces News' parent company British Forces Broadcasting Services (BFBS), which provides news and entertainment for members of the Armed Forces serving all over the world and celebrated its 80th anniversary of broadcasting this week.
The one-day event at the historic home of Henry VIII will take place on Sunday 11 June with a star-studded bill of authors including Dame Judi Dench, David Harewood, Robert Harris, Kate Mosse, Ben Elton, Dame Joanna Lumley, Richard E Grant and Sir Derek Jacobi.
Vicki Perrin, chief executive of The Queen's Reading Room, said: "It's an honour and a privilege to treat some of our nation's heroes to a day out at Hampton Court Palace, on us.
"We hope that they will come away inspired by the incredible authors, actors and experts with us at our festival and by the amazing stories they have to share."
The free tickets are available via ticketsfortroops.org.uk, thequeensreadingroom.co.uk and ticketsforgood.org.
Up to 8,000 people are expected to attend the celebration of the written word, held at the historic Royal home in Surrey.
Camilla, who is an avid reader, launched her own Reading Room as an Instagram book club in 2021 to inspire readers during lockdown.
It was relaunched as a charity in February to work on advancing education by promoting the appreciation of literature among adults and children.
The festival is a co-production between The Queen's Reading Room and Historic Royal Palaces, the independent charity that cares for Hampton Court Palace.
Proceeds will go towards the ongoing work of both charities.
Important ticket information
You are eligible to apply for tickets through Tickets for Troops if:
- You are a serving member of HM Armed Forces
- Have been medically discharged from the forces since the commencement of military action in Afghanistan in 2001
- You have been awarded a medical pension by the Ministry of Defence and discharged after 2001
- You are the next of kin to a service person who has died as a result of their service
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