The Queen launches National Literacy Trust's Coronation Libraries
Published 23 May 2023
On Her Majesty's first solo engagement since the Coronation, The Queen was welcomed to Shirehampton Primary School in Bristol to launch the first of 50 Coronation Libraries, created by the National Literacy Trust.
In celebration of Their Majesties' Coronation, the National Literacy Trust's Coronation Libraries Project celebrates the role that The Queen has played in supporting literacy projects and encouraging young people to embrace reading from a young age. The project also highlights the vital importance of primary school libraries in developing a life-long love of reading.
Created across the UK in 2023 and 2024 in collaboration with Primary School Library Alliance, the Coronation libraries and reading spaces will be established in communities with low levels of literacy, where the cost-of-living crisis is biting hardest and children are least likely to have books at home.
Each library or reading space will be refurbished, restocked and two members of staff will be trained to manage it and deliver a range of reading activities for the whole school. In addition, a commemorative Coronation plaque will be placed in each library.
Shirehampton Primary School’s new Coronation library is also the 500th library to be transformed as part of the Primary School Library Alliance campaign – a unique cross-sector, multi-partnership collaboration that is addressing the issue of library provision in primary schools across the UK.
Joined by children's authors and illustrators Cressida Cowell, Malorie Blackman, Francesca Simon, Jasbinder Bilan and Rob Biddulph, Her Majesty took part in engaging literacy-based activities with pupils - including a reading of Horrid Henry meets The Queen in Shirehampton's new Coronation Library, and a special draw-along of Queen Mary's Crown.
Her Majesty was also presented with the 'Coronation Collection', a selection of 23 books voted for by over 12,000 children across the UK in celebration of the Coronation before unveiling a plaque to officially open the space.
Related content
100 Coronation Facts
Over 850 community and charity representatives invited to enjoy the Coronation service from Westminster Abbey
The King and The Queen Consort will undertake State Visits to France and Germany
Remarks by a Buckingham Palace spokesperson on the upcoming State Visits to France and Germany
A speech by The Queen Consort at a literary reception to celebrate The Queen's Reading Room
Human beings have always needed the connection of literature – its wisdom as well as its sheer escapism. In today’s challenging climate, we need it more than ever.
Remarks by The Queen Consort at the opening of the Royal Osteoporosis Society's Bath City Centre offices
The modernisation, the technology, that has happened in osteoporosis is incredible. So let’s go from strength to strength and make it even better.
A speech by The Queen Consort at the University of Aberdeen
Ladies and Gentlemen, you have a great past: 5 Nobel Laureates and 525 years of academic excellence. Your future, I know, will be greater still and, as your very proud...
The Queen Consort's message to mark 80 years of BFBS
You have done a huge amount to foster a true and profound sense of community amongst all those connected with the military family.
