This article contains affiliate links; if you click such a link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission.Queen Camilla Attends a Reception at the New York Public Library With Sarah Jessica Parker

Rachel KingWed, April 29, 2026 at 7:48 PM UTC

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Queen Camilla Attends a Reception at the New York Public Library With Sarah Jessica Parker

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Well known for her love of literature, Queen Camilla made a special trip to the flagship branch of the New York Public Library while in Manhattan on Wednesday. Camilla’s charity, The Queen’s Reading Room, hosted a reception at the famous library, open since 1895, for approximately 100 guests spanning the literary and publishing worlds in the United States and the United Kingdom. According to The New York Times, Camilla is the first British royal to visit the branch.

Among the guests were actress Sarah Jessica Parker, who served as a judge for the 2025 Booker Prize, one of literature’s most prestigious awards; Today co-host Jenna Bush Hager, who also hosts her own book club on the popular morning show called “Read With Jenna”; and New York Times bestselling authors Harlan Coben and Min Jin Lee. Lee’s novel Pachinko was a The Queen's Reading Room book club pick in 2024.

Queen Camilla delivers prepared remarks.Pool - Getty Images

Also during the reception, Queen Camilla met with representatives of local domestic violence charities as well as New York City and State agencies for domestic violence prevention and social services, to learn more about services providing emergency shelter, legal advocacy, and ongoing support for survivors and their families.

Queen Camilla seen speaking with leaders of organizations tackling domestic abuse at the reception.Chris Jackson - Getty ImagesAnother centenary celebration

The royals have been busy celebrating the centenary of Queen Elizabeth’s birth in April. But there is also another famous figure celebrating a 100th anniversary this year. Much of King Charles and Queen Camila’s four-day state visit to the United States this week has been about strengthening the “special relationship” between the two countries. The Queen’s solo engagement also reflected a lesser known, but shared literary heritage that has captivated readers on both sides of the Atlantic for the last century thanks to a friendly bear who loves honey: Winnie the Pooh.

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After reading an excerpt from the book to a group of local schoolchildren, the Queen presented the library with a handcrafted, stuffed toy of the baby kangaroo known as “Roo,” a character from English writer A.A. Milne’s classic children’s book Winnie the Pooh, which was first published in 1926. The author’s son (and namesake for one of the main characters), Christopher Robin Milne, had a collection of stuffed animals that inspired Milne to write the series. The first of them was a teddy bear acquired from Harrods department store in 1921, which Christopher named “Winnie the Pooh.”

One could say the rest was history, but not for the original collection of toys. The baby kangaroo toy was reportedly lost in an English apple orchard in the 1930s and has never been seen since. The five surviving toys—Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore, and Kanga—traveled from the United Kingdom to the United States in 1947. Milne’s American publisher, E.P. Dutton, held onto them until they were donated to the New York Public Library, and they have been on permanent public display at the location on Bryant Park since 1987.

The original five dolls on display at the library, as seen in 2022.Anadolu - Getty Images

Roo, the new toy that Queen Camilla presented, was handcrafted by Merrythought, Great Britain’s oldest surviving teddy bear manufacturer, which has been producing toys since 1930. Its design is based on a Roo toy made by Farnell, a brand acquired by Merrythought in 1996, which the original brand produced in the early 1920s and is believed to match the one belonging to Christopher Robin Milne. Merrythought also has royal connections; a handmade “Corgi teddy” was presented to Queen Elizabeth in 1952, a nod to her family’s beloved dogs. In 1982, the company gave Prince Charles a stuffed green hippo as a gift for his newborn son, Prince William.

A close-up of the new Roo, which will be on permanent display at the New York Public Library.The British Embassy

Since becoming Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla has spent much of her royal tenure championing literature and reading. In 2023, she founded The Queen’s Reading Room, a nonprofit promoting the benefits of reading for mental health. Her gift, timed to mark the 100th anniversary of when Winnie the Pooh was first published, restores Christopher Robin Milne’s collection as it once existed.

“People from all over the world visit every year to meet the real Winnie the Pooh and friends," said Anthony W. Marx, president and CEO of the New York Public Library, in a statement. “Roo will help us continue to share the wonder and magic of this timeless story with readers of all ages for generations to come.”

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”