Queen Camilla steps out just a day after revealing pneumonia diagnosis for reunion with ally
Queen Camilla joined her ally France’s First Lady Brigitte Macron at a literary prize ceremony in London on Wednesday, just one day after revealing her recent chest infection was actually pneumonia.
The 77-year-old Queen attended the inaugural Entente Littéraire Prize ceremony at the French Ambassador’s Residence, marking her second literary engagement whilst battling illness.
Despite experiencing ongoing symptoms of post-viral fatigue, the Queen demonstrated her unwavering commitment to literacy causes by participating in the Franco-British literary celebration.
The engagement follows her disclosure to guests at a Buckingham Palace reception on Tuesday that she had been recovering from pneumonia.
The Entente Littéraire Prize, established in 2023, was officially launched during King Charles and Queen Camilla’s state visit to France last September.
The prize celebrates teenage and young adult literature whilst highlighting the special literary connection between Britain and France.
During Wednesday’s ceremony, Queen Camilla and Madame Macron met with judges and shortlisted authors.
Six finalists are in contention, including Thieves by Lucie Bryon, Men Don’t Cry by Faïza Guène, Jefferson by Jean-Claude Mourlevat, Par Le Feu by Will Hill, Les Etincelles Invisibles by Elle McNicoll, and Le Livre Bleu De Nebo by Manon Steffan Ros. Two winners will be selected from these nominations.
Queen Camilla’s attendance comes amid a period of reduced engagements due to her health struggles.
The palace initially announced her chest infection on November 5, leading to her absence from key Remembrance events.
Despite her illness, she attended the Booker Prize finalists meeting at Clarence House on November 12.
Whilst she missed the Gladiator II premiere, the Queen managed to attend a diplomatic reception and received an honorary doctorate from Princess Anne on November 20.
She was forced to withdraw from the Royal Variety Performance on November 22 and scaled back her involvement in this week’s Qatar state visit.
Palace sources indicate she is recovering well but continues to experience post-viral fatigue symptoms, taking each engagement day by day under medical advice.
Queen Camilla’s dedication to literacy has been a cornerstone of her royal work, with numerous patronages supporting reading initiatives across the UK and Commonwealth.
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She serves as patron of several key organisations, including the National Literacy Trust, First Story, Coram Beanstalk and BookTrust.
Her passion for reading has led her to visit schools, libraries, workplaces and prisons to promote literacy.
In a significant development earlier this year, The Queen’s Reading Room evolved from an online book club into a charitable organisation.
The charity, launched in February 2023, now actively promotes the benefits of reading, further cementing Queen Camilla’s commitment to literary causes.