Queen Camilla Issues Letter to Celebrate Launch of #BBC500Words Contest
Queen Camilla has shared some uplifting news in a letter celebrating the relaunch of the #BBC500Words children’s writing competition, just days after King Charles delivered a poignant message honoring the sacrifices made during the Battle of Arnhem.
In her letter, which was read aloud by Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce on the BBC’s The One Show, the Queen Consort expressed her enthusiasm for the initiative. “I very much wanted to write to you to share the 500 Words excitement on this special Launch Day,” the letter began. “I love 500 Words and I am so proud of all the people who have participated in this brilliant initiative over the years.”
Camilla highlighted the importance of the competition, which has become the UK’s most successful children’s story-writing contest. “All the entries, past, present, and future, are sent to Oxford University Press to form part of the biggest collection of children’s writing in the world,” she wrote, noting that this collection now holds over a million stories filled with “thoughtful reflection and swashbuckling adventure.”
She concluded with a quote from Beatrix Potter, encouraging young writers to embrace the creative journey: “There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they'll take you. They might just take you to Buckingham Palace.”
The announcement brings a joyful note to the royal calendar, offering a hopeful message to young aspiring writers and their families.
