The Queen has celebrated the fourth anniversary of her Reading Room, revealing it has grown to reach 12 million readers across 173 countries.
Her Majesty acknowledged there had been "quite a few naysayers" who doubted the initiative would succeed when it began as a lockdown reading list.
The project has since evolved into a registered charity with a popular podcast and annual festival.
The announcement came during a star-studded reception at Clarence House on Tuesday evening.
During the event, the Queen launched The Queen's Reading Room Medal, which will recognise those who champion books and storytelling in their local communities.
"From its humble beginnings, my Reading Room now reaches over 12 million people in 173 countries each year," the Queen told guests, to gasps and cheers.
The Queen was supported by her entire family at the gathering, including the King, her sister Annabel Elliot, and her children Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes.
They mingled with authors and literary figures throughout the evening.
Lady Sarah Chatto, the Duchess of Gloucester, and her husband Daniel were also present to celebrate the milestone.
In her speech, the Queen emphasised the transformative power of literature.
"Through literature, we experience life through another's eyes, we are comforted, strengthened, we laugh, we cry, we travel to different lands, and we escape the real world," she said.
"In short, books, and those who create them, make life better... much better. Making life better is the ultimate aim of my Reading Room."
The new Reading Room Medal aims to highlight the work of "reading heroes" across the country who are helping communities overcome the reading crisis.
From April 1, anyone over 18 can nominate themselves or another person for the award.
The first recipient will be announced next year.
The judging panel includes Jonathan Douglas, chief executive of the National Literary Trust, and Dame Gail Rebuck, chairman of Penguin Random House.
Among those gathered for the event were actors Richard E Grant, Freddie Fox and Sigourney Weaver.
They were joined by authors including Jilly Cooper, Anthony Horowitz, Peter James, Kate Atkinson, Elif Shafak and Donna Tartt.
As the King and Queen arrived, Charles spotted actress Miriam Margolyes and immediately reached out to hold her hand.
"Wonderful to see you," he said.
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The reception also featured a display of items from Jane Austen's House and birthplace in Chawton, Hampshire, marking the 250th anniversary of the author's birth.
Items included a Royal Collection second edition of Sense and Sensibility and a drawing by Austen's sister, Cassandra.
After the Queen's speech, Margolyes greeted her warmly, joking: "I've got to try and curtsy without falling down."
The Queen is a long-standing campaigner on literacy, serving as patron of organisations including the National Literacy Trust, First Story, Corma Beanstalk and Booktrust.
Her initiative comes at a critical time, as a report published last year by the National Literary Trust found reading rates are at their lowest on record.
The report revealed one in two adults did not read a book at all in the previous year.
Find Out More...
Her Majesty acknowledged there had been "quite a few naysayers" who doubted the initiative would succeed when it began as a lockdown reading list.
The project has since evolved into a registered charity with a popular podcast and annual festival.
The announcement came during a star-studded reception at Clarence House on Tuesday evening.
During the event, the Queen launched The Queen's Reading Room Medal, which will recognise those who champion books and storytelling in their local communities.
"From its humble beginnings, my Reading Room now reaches over 12 million people in 173 countries each year," the Queen told guests, to gasps and cheers.
The Queen was supported by her entire family at the gathering, including the King, her sister Annabel Elliot, and her children Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes.
They mingled with authors and literary figures throughout the evening.
Lady Sarah Chatto, the Duchess of Gloucester, and her husband Daniel were also present to celebrate the milestone.
In her speech, the Queen emphasised the transformative power of literature.
"Through literature, we experience life through another's eyes, we are comforted, strengthened, we laugh, we cry, we travel to different lands, and we escape the real world," she said.
"In short, books, and those who create them, make life better... much better. Making life better is the ultimate aim of my Reading Room."
The new Reading Room Medal aims to highlight the work of "reading heroes" across the country who are helping communities overcome the reading crisis.
From April 1, anyone over 18 can nominate themselves or another person for the award.
The first recipient will be announced next year.
The judging panel includes Jonathan Douglas, chief executive of the National Literary Trust, and Dame Gail Rebuck, chairman of Penguin Random House.
Among those gathered for the event were actors Richard E Grant, Freddie Fox and Sigourney Weaver.
They were joined by authors including Jilly Cooper, Anthony Horowitz, Peter James, Kate Atkinson, Elif Shafak and Donna Tartt.
As the King and Queen arrived, Charles spotted actress Miriam Margolyes and immediately reached out to hold her hand.
"Wonderful to see you," he said.
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The reception also featured a display of items from Jane Austen's House and birthplace in Chawton, Hampshire, marking the 250th anniversary of the author's birth.
Items included a Royal Collection second edition of Sense and Sensibility and a drawing by Austen's sister, Cassandra.
After the Queen's speech, Margolyes greeted her warmly, joking: "I've got to try and curtsy without falling down."
The Queen is a long-standing campaigner on literacy, serving as patron of organisations including the National Literacy Trust, First Story, Corma Beanstalk and Booktrust.
Her initiative comes at a critical time, as a report published last year by the National Literary Trust found reading rates are at their lowest on record.
The report revealed one in two adults did not read a book at all in the previous year.
Find Out More...