Queen Camilla concluded a week of engagements in Liverpool with a visit to Speke Hall, where she participated in an interactive storytelling session with author Dame Julia Donaldson and Gruffalo co-creator Axel Scheffler. The 79-year-old royal, dressed in a black-and-white printed dress and cream trench coat, smiled as she joined school children and families for the event, which promoted early years literacy support.
During her visit, Queen Camilla also met with representatives from the National Literacy Trust, an organization she supports as patron. The trust works to improve access to early years support in Liverpool. Donaldson expressed her hope that the event would encourage more reading and acting out of stories among the families present.
Earlier in the day, the Queen visited the Spellow Community Hub and Library in Walton, Liverpool. The library had been severely damaged in a fire during riots in the summer of 2024, following a stabbing incident in Southport. Queen Camilla had previously donated books to help restock the library after its reopening.
During the library visit, Queen Camilla unveiled a plaque and spoke about the community's resilience. "You can never have too many books," she stated. "I've brought some more and it's so wonderful to see this place rise from the ashes. Congratulations to all of you who made it happen. It was such a terrible story, and it's had a happy ending."
Sean McEvoy, a library assistant who read to schoolchildren with the Queen present, described the library's reopening as a positive turning point. "It has been amazing since the library reopened," he said. "It's been great to have the Queen visit today. It's good for the community and good for the library and they deserve it."
Children's author Frank Cottrell-Boyce, who also attended, highlighted the library's restoration as a symbol of resilience. "What makes Spellow especially important is that, after the riots, people came together to restore something their community could not afford to lose," he noted. "It's a powerful story of resilience and hope."
Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram was also present, calling the Spellow Hub a "powerful example of what this community really stands for." He welcomed the Queen's visit to witness the area's recovery.
Queen Camilla participated in coloring and wordsearch activities with pupils from local schools and observed a chess lesson. She also spoke with first responders about their role during the disorder and met Alex McCormick, who initiated an online fundraiser that raised £250,000 towards the library's repair and restocking efforts, exceeding its initial £500 goal.
McCormick remarked on the library's thriving status, calling it a "vital part of this community."