'My mission's more urgent than ever'

Queen's reading fears as charity marks 5yrs

- BY JENNIFER NEWTON

THE Queen says her mission to get people reading more books has never been so urgent.

Camilla, 78, founded The Reading Room book club in lockdown.

As the charity marks its fifth anniversary, it has reached 186,000 people in more than 180 countries.

The Queen said: "At a time when global reading rates are at their very lowest, my charity's mission feels more urgent than ever.

"Books do make life better, and this is only the beginning."

Currently, only one in two adults in the UK reads even one book a year, while 46 per cent of people struggle to finish one due to distractions.