A charity established by the Queen is to launch a podcast featuring guests including Dame Joanna Lumley and Sir Ian Rankin.
The Queen’s Reading Room was formed from a book club set up by Camilla in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic to celebrate the power and benefits of reading.
On Friday, the charity announced it will debut its first series of The Queen’s Reading Room Podcast in January.
Across eight episodes, plus a bonus episode with lexicographer and Countdown star Susie Dent, a number of well-known guests will talk to host Vicki Perrin about their relationship with reading.
The first episode will see Perrin in conversation with 63-year-old crime fiction author Sir Ian, who will talk about his childhood and how he fell in love with books.
Absolutely Fabulous star Dame Joanna, 77, will feature in the second episode to speak about her book collection and favourite writers.
The other podcast guests are poet Joseph Coelho, novelist Elif Shafak, comedian David Baddiel, American author Ann Patchett, Lessons In Chemistry author Bonnie Garmus and screenwriter and novelist Frank Cottrell-Boyce.
Perrin, the chief executive of The Queen’s Reading Room, said: “There is nothing quite like a brilliant book recommendation from a friend, but it’s even better when that person is one of your favourite authors or most admired persons.
“I hope that this podcast will inspire listeners to new literary adventures and help those wishing to love books a little more find the books which set their imaginations alight.”
The charity has confirmed that the Queen’s Reading Room Festival will return to Hampton Court Palace on Saturday June 8.
Last year’s event saw theatrical performances by Dame Judi Dench and Austen improvisation group Austentatious, as well as live shows with authors including Ken Follett, Peter James and Kate Mosse.
The podcast will be available on all platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
The former Duchess of Cornwall launched The Reading Room on Instagram in January 2021 and the project was relaunched by Camilla as charity The Queen’s Reading Room in February this year.
The Queen’s Reading Room will launch its debut book podcast on January 8.
Tickets for the Queen’s Reading Room Festival go on pre-sale in February and proceeds will go towards the work of The Queen’s Reading Room and Historic Royal Palaces, the independent charity that cares for Hampton Court Palace.