Her Majesty Queen Camilla’s charity, The Queen’s Reading Room, has announced the return of its highly anticipated flagship event The Queen’s Reading Room Festival, which is set to return to Chatsworth in Derbyshire on 19th and 20th September 2026. This marks the second year the festival has taken place at the historic estate.
Building on the success of previous years, this year’s broad programme brings together an outstanding line-up of authors for a celebration of books and ideas in a truly remarkable setting, promising up-close moments with writers, lively conversation and the chance to hear directly from some of today’s most compelling voices.
Which writers will be at The Queen’s Reading Room Festival at Chatsworth?
The 2026 edition will welcome celebrated authors including: Clare Balding, on place and the stories we tell; Harlan Coben, on creating work for Netflix; Lee Child and special guests, on rehabilitation in writing and reading; Louise Penny, on building a beloved crime series; Ann Cleeves, on murder locations, from village noir to coastal crime; Cecelia Ahern, on hope, heartbreak and happy endings; Meg Mason, on the modern anti-heroine; and Elif Shafak, on fiction that defies borders.
They are joined by: Jeffery Archer, on the art of the bestseller; Kate Atkinson, on sharp wit and sharp crime; William Boyd, on building a literary thriller; Jessie Burton, on writing for young readers; Reeta Chakrabarti, on the art of bearing witness; Daisy Fancourt, on art in the age of everything; Jane Harper,on our love of crime stories; Louise Kennedy, on tales of love and conflict; Philippa Perry, on whether a therapist can catch a killer; Jennifer Saint, on ancient stories with modern fire; Louisa Young on continuing the Cazalet Chronicles; Lucy Foley on her new Miss Marple; and Nussaibah Younis, on policy, power and personal consequence.
The 2026 festival coincides with the charity’s fifth anniversary, celebrating five years since Her Majesty Queen Camilla launched an Instagram book club during lockdown that has since grown into a global charity reaching audiences in more than 180 countries.
What to expect at The Queen’s Reading Room Festival
The Writers’ Room
The festival will once again inspire budding authors with the return of The Writers’ Room, an open-access drop-in hub, free to all festival pass holders. Throughout the day, a rolling programme of lively 20-minute interviews will lift the curtain on the publishing world, featuring an author, publicist, publisher, editor and literary agent, each sharing practical insight into their role in bringing a book to life.
From shaping a manuscript and finding representation, to navigating submissions, marketing and publication, these candid conversations will demystify the journey from desk to bookshelf.
The Poetry Room
New this year is The Poetry Room supported by the T.S. Eliot Foundation. This feel-good space celebrates poetry in a fresh and engaging way for aficionados and novices alike, offering a rolling line-up of brilliant live readings from some exciting voices, alongside relaxed and engaging conversations with special guests.
Speakers will share the poems they love, how they’ve influenced them and then bring them to life on stage.
Entry to Chatsworth House and exhibitions
Festival passes also include entry to Chatsworth House, and its new exhibition, House of Stories: Tales from the Chatsworth Library, which brings together some of the most significant works of literature from the Chatsworth Library and Archives for the first time. Passes also include access to Chatsworth’s 105-acre garden and farmyard.
The Queen’s Reading Room Community outreach
From inception, The Queen’s Reading Room has believed that books belong to everyone. The festival will once again combine world-class literary programming with grassroots community initiatives to celebrate the transformative power of books.
An allocation of tickets will be available through Chatsworth’s Universal Credit scheme, helping ensure that cost is not a barrier to attendance. A proportion of festival passes will be available at the reduced rate of £3, along with a selection of individual tickets to specific talks.
The Queen’s Reading Room is also proud to continue its partnership with The Elm Foundation, a Derbyshire based organisation supporting victims of domestic violence. Through this collaboration, The Queen’s Reading Room has supported shared reading groups with training, mentorship and book donations, offering connection and recovery through reading.
Set against Chatsworth’s historic landscape, the 2026 festival promises to honour this milestone year whilst looking forward to the next chapter in the charity’s extraordinary journey, bringing together world-class literary programming with grassroots community initiatives to celebrate the transformative power of books.
How to get tickets
Tickets for The Queen’s Reading Room Festival 2026 will be released for sale at 10am on 15 April here.
