Queen Camilla issues urgent plea about children on mobile phones – 'do this instead'

Queen Camilla has urged children to put down their mobile phones and pick up a book instead. Addressing the sharp decline in pupils' reading for pleasure in the UK, Camilla sought to turn the tide against digital dependency. Speaking at the grand final of BBC 500 Words, the UK’s most successful children’s writing competition, she told One Show hosts Alex Jones and Roman Kemp: “Anybody who hears these stories will see how inspired these children are, and I think to get children reading and writing stories, especially nowadays, is so important.”

“Also, it gives them time to get away from some of their phones,” the Queen continued. “So I think it's so important that children keep on reading and writing, it's the best thing you could possibly do, and it will take you all on adventures all over the world.”

Her candid words of advice to children came as she addressed the grand finale of the annual competition at a reception at Windsor Castle on February 25. The event saw the six winners of the competition announced, though the names weren’t made public until tonight when they were unveiled on a special episode of The One Show.

The Queen’s comments come as figures show reading for pleasure among UK children has dropped to its lowest level since 2005. Just one in three children aged over eight says they pick up a book in their spare time, according to the National Literacy Trust, down from 51% two decades ago.

The charity, of which Camilla is patron, warns that children’s futures are being put at risk as they turn to digital devices instead.

The Department for Education has joined the charity in declaring 2026 a “national year of reading”, with events organised as part of a concerted campaign to reverse the trend.

Book-loving Camilla isn’t the only royal to advocate reducing access to smartphones and screen time, as the Princess of Wales recently warned that devices are creating an “epidemic of disconnection”.

"We sit together in the same room while our minds are scattered across dozens of apps, notifications, and feeds," Catherine wrote in an essay published in October that’s part of her early years education campaign.

"We’re physically present but mentally absent, unable to fully engage with the people right in front of us.”

Her husband, the Prince of Wales, also told actor Eugene Levy in an episode of The Reluctant Traveller last October that they have refused to allow their three children to have phones.

“None of our children has any phones, which we are very strict about”, said William as he spoke about family meal times.

Even the Duke of Sussex, who stepped down as a senior working royal six years ago, has spoken extensively about his concerns regarding children and smartphone usage. In a separate speech at the BBC 500 Words event, Camilla credited the “50 brilliant finalists” of the competition, telling them: “Through the magic of your pens and devices, you have brought your imaginations to life and led your readers on breath-taking explorations.”

Quoting AA Milne, the author of beloved children’s character Winnie the Pooh, she added: “Always remember: ‘You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think’…which makes you all winners.”

This year's competition received more than 46,500 entries from across the UK, and last week six young authors were crowned winners, with stories ranging from Mars space travel to haunted fairgrounds.

Their entries were read by celebrities including Jodie Whittaker, the Doctor Who star, Joanna Page of Gavin and Stacey, Bradley and Barney Walsh, the father and son TV presenters, Sara Cox, the BBC DJ and author, Paterson Joseph, the RSC actor and award-winning writer, and Big Zuu, the rapper and TV personality.

In Friday's One Show special, host Roman Kemp looked at items cared for by the Royal Library, including a copy of the very first Paddington picture book, from the personal collection of the late Queen Elizabeth II, and a 1926 signed edition of Winnie the Pooh, as 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of the beloved stories about the honey-loving bear.

The special signed edition sits inside a hardcover emblazoned with the letter E for Elizabeth and was given to the young princess the year she was born.

The judges for this year’s 500 Words competition were Sir Lenny Henry, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Francesca Simon, Charlie Higson, Rose Ayling-Ellis and Malorie Blackman, chaired by The One Show’s Alex Jones.

The Queen, who has supported the competition since 2015, joined the panel earlier this year to discuss the shortlisted stories.

The six winners were chosen from two age groups, ages five to seven and eight to 11, with each age group consisting of gold, silver and bronze awards.

Zuren Zhang and Maya Ukwubiwe won the gold prizes, which sees them take away the height of judge Sir Lenny Henry in books (6ft 3in) and 500 books for their school.

Silver prize winners were Muhammed Da’oyd Khan and Ariadne Elena Livas, who received the height of the Queen (5ft 8in) in books, while Harry Hart and Annalise Ikeasomba walked away with the average height of a seven to 11-year-old in books after winning the bronze award.

All the winning stories have been interpreted by children’s illustrators and published in a special BBC 500 Words winners’ book produced by Oxford University Press.

Literature, especially in children, is a key part of Camilla’s work, as she aims to celebrate and promote the power and benefits of reading. Last month, she described the charity’s mission to get people reading as “more urgent than ever,” warning that global reading rates are at their “very lowest”.

She has also highlighted research commissioned by her Queen’s Reading Room literary project that found that just five minutes of reading a day is just as important as getting out 10,000 steps and eating our five a day of fruit and vegetables.