As the newest Queen of the United Kingdom, Queen Camilla‘s options are limitless as to what passion projects she gets involved in. But, interestingly enough, she just announced her next project and it has an intriguing connection to her stepdaughter-in-lawMeghan Markle: a podcast!
That’s right, on Dec. 15, Her Majesty announced she’d be entering the star-studded podcast space with her debut book podcast titled The Queen’s Reading Room Podcast.
In the weekly podcast, which will debut on Jan. 8, Camilla “will create a space where book lovers – and those who wish to connect more with books – can hear straight from the mouths of literary heroes,” the press release describes. “Each week, celebrated authors, as well as stars of stage and screen will invite listeners inside their own reading rooms – whether that’s a bedside book stack or full-scale library – to share some of the books they simply couldn’t live without.”
Among the guests already confirmed for the first season are actress Dame Joanna Lumley, comedian David Baddiel, authors Eli Shafak, Ann Patchett, Ian Rankin and Bonnie Garmus as well as children’s book authors Joseph Coelho and Frank Cottrell-Boyce.
“Who does Sir Ian Rankin turn to for solace?” the press release questions. “Where does David Baddiel stash his fiction and which masterpiece has Ann Patchett given up on again and again?”
“The brand-new series will delve into the homes and hearts of the authors we love the most and will also feature contributions from Her Majesty Queen Camilla, who will let listeners in on some of her all-time favorite reads,” the release continues.
In addition to the eight-episode season, which will be released on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, the Queen also announced The Queen’s Reading Room Festival which will take place on premiere day.
“The 2024 festival will once again gather authors, experts, actors and literature lovers for a day celebrating the written word, set against the magical backdrop of Hampton Court Palace,” the press release adds.
As a reminder, Markle also entered the podcast space in the past few years with her star-studded Spotify podcast Archetypes. Despite the initial success, however, Spotify and Markle’s Archewell Foundation decided to “part ways” after the end of their first season. Looks like now there’s some familiar competition!
Before you go, click here to see all the best pictures from King Charles III’s coronation.
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