Revealed, books Camilla loved as a child... and there’s a Twist

THE Duchess of Cornwall has revealed the stories she loved as a child, and said she still sees a new book as a ‘treat’.

Camilla, 70, recalled fond memories of her father reading to her, and listed The Scarlet Pimpernel, Alice In Wonderland and Oliver Twist among her favourites.

Urging today’s parents to do the same with their children ahead of World Book Day on Thursday, she said she still remembers the ‘excitement of opening a book’ as a schoolgirl.

‘Whether it was the dashing Scarlet Pimpernel escaping the French revolutionaries, the inquisitive Alice in the madness of Wonderland or Oliver Twist asking bravely for a second helping in the workhouse, my father’s reading brought them vividly to life,’ she said.

‘Those evenings together didn’t just pass on a lifelong love of reading, they made me, too, want to share that passion with my own children – and now with my grandchildren. Turning the pages of a favourite book creates a very special bond.’

The duchess said the ‘pleasure’ of reading books together is often lost amid the popularity of smartphones and the internet. She added: ‘In a world

that sometimes feels dominated by too many screens and too much information, a day for books might seem a bit old-fashioned. But maybe it’s a timely reminder of how important books and reading are, especially for children.’

Camilla wrote in the Sunday Express: ‘We all know reading is an invaluable life skill … But books can do so much more than convey facts … Reading stories with children can fire their imaginations and get their brains buzzing unlike anything else.

‘The power of a good story keeps us all turning the pages, absorbing new words and making us think.’