The Queen Consort has made her first public appearance since testing positive for COVID.

Camilla, 75, appeared alongside the King at a Clarence House event that included authors, literary figures and representatives of literacy charities.

She was there to launch her book project – founded to help people of all generations share a love of reading – as a charity.

The project, previously known as The Reading Room after being started as reading lists published on Instagram during lockdown in January 2021, has now become The Queen’s Reading Room.

Her public appearance comes after Buckingham Palace announced she had tested positive for the illness early last week.

“It’s a huge pleasure to welcome you all, writers, publishers and book lovers to Clarence House. A week late – but COVID-free,” she said, to laughs from the audience.

She also thanked those at the address “on behalf of book lovers and book clubs everywhere for sharing your talents with us and everything you do to promote literacy and a love of literature”.

Queen Consort: Camilla forced to cancel visit to West Midlands after contracting ‘seasonal illness’, Buckingham Palace says

Boy dressed up as builder charms Princess of Wales on nursery visit in Luton

Camilla donates Paddington bears left in tribute to the Queen to children’s charity Barnardo’s

Camilla also spoke about literary freedom at the event, telling attendees: “Please remain true to your calling, unimpeded by those who may wish to curb the freedom of your expression or impose limits on your imagination. Enough said.”

Her comments come after a row over the rewriting of Dahl’s children’s books to remove language deemed offensive, a move which has been branded “absurd censorship” by author Sir Salman Rushdie.

Content deemed offensive such as references to weight, mental health, violence, gender and race were removed or rewritten.

Some of the edits reportedly include removing the word “fat” from every book, with Augustus Gloop in Charlie and The Chocolate Factory instead being described as “enormous”.

Read more:
Queen Consort Camilla tests positive for COVID-19
Netflix acquires Roald Dahl’s company

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Booker Prize winner Sir Salman said the publishers, Puffin Books and the Roald Dahl Story Company, “should be ashamed”.

The row also reached Downing Street, with a spokesperson for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak saying: “When it comes to our rich and varied literary heritage, the PM agrees with the BFG that you shouldn’t ‘gobblefunk’ around with words.”

The spokesperson added: “I think it’s important that works of literature and works of fiction are preserved and not airbrushed. We have always defended the right to free speech and expression.”

Sir Salman tweeted: “Roald Dahl was no angel but this is absurd censorship.”

It is not clear if Camilla’s comments were related to the row over Dahl’s books.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

On Wednesday, she pulled out of a visit to a food charity in east London on Wednesday as she continued to recover from COVID.

King Charles made the trip solo instead, meeting staff and volunteers at The Felix Project.

Buckingham Palace previously said Camilla had made an “excellent recovery”, but that she was taking time out ahead of a busy day of royal engagements on Thursday.

Related posts:

28 people arrested after Rangers fans flout lockdown to celebrate title ‘It’s wonderful to be back’: Meghan and Harry visit New York in first big trip since quitting as royals ‘Not good enough’: Defence secretary ‘pretty angry’ over MoD’s Afghan data breaches Number of people with COVID in hospital in England rises to 9,546 Police seek help finding father of girl, 12, missing since before Christmas Drink-driving teenager who crashed into McDonald’s is banned from roads Number of children behind bars in England and Wales set to more than double Drug addict mother sentenced to 20 years in prison for manslaughter of her asthmatic son Beaming Queen seen for the first time during her Jubilee celebrations Queen’s funeral to be held on 19 September – as details of lying-in-state released Just Stop Oil protesters clash with public after blocking road as 26 arrested Trump blimp re-inflated by London museum in an attempt to preserve it for years to come