The Queen Consort has forced publisher Puffin to back down on its censorship of Roald Dahl books after she intervened in the row over their decision to edit his words.
After it emerged Roald Dahl’s best-selling children’s books were being rewritten to remove language considered offensive, Camilla gave an impassioned defence of free speech and the right of writers to express themselves.
For example the word “fat” was being cut from every book with Augustus Gloop in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory instead described as “enormous.” The publisher were also deleting references to height, mental health, gender and skin colour.
However, Puffin has now issued a statement announcing that it will make both the original and censored versions available to readers.
Francesca Dow who is Managing Director of Penguin Random House Children’s which owns Puffin UK said:
“We’ve listened to the debate over the past week which has reaffirmed the extraordinary power of Roald Dahl’s books and the very real questions around how stories from another era can be kept relevant for each new generation.
“As a children’s publisher, our role is to share the magic of stories with children with the greatest thought and care.
“We also recognise the importance of keeping Dahl’s classic texts in print. By making both versions available, we are offering readers the choice to decide how they experience Roald Dahl’s magical, marvellous stories.”
Royal author Phil Dampier told the Express he was certain Camilla’s intervention was crucial in persuading the publishers to back down.
He said: “This shows Camilla being acutely aware of the influence she has and using it with great subtlety and to great effect. She did not actually mention Roald Dahl by name, but she did not have to.
“Instead, she spoke to a group of distinguished authors about the dangers of those attempting to curb their freedom of expression or impose limits on their imaginations. In case there was any doubt about what she was talking about she added a mischievous ‘enough said’ at the end of her remarks.
“Everyone in that room knew exactly what she was talking about and it was the censorship of Dahl.
“I’m sure that Camilla’s intervention and the reaction to it have been key factors in persuading the publishers to come to their senses and that is a good thing.
“This shows not only that Camilla has retained her sense of humour but that she can use it effectively to achieve positive outcomes.”
On Thursday at Clarence House, The Queen Consort, joined by The King, brought together authors, members of the literary community and representatives of literacy charities to celebrate the second anniversary of The Queen’s Reading Room.
Her Majesty has long championed a love of reading across generations and, following the success of her published reading lists during the national lockdown, launched The Reading Room. The online community celebrates books from around the world and the extraordinary people who create them.
Announced this week as a new charity, The Queen’s Reading Room will continue to celebrate books from a diverse range of authors around the world, chosen for their literary, educative and historic merit. The charity says it will seek to close the gap between writers and readers through accessible, educational and free literary content available year-round through its social media and online platforms. Its purpose is to help more people find and connect with books which enrich their lives, turning them into lifelong readers.
Addressing guests at the reception on Thursday, The Queen Consort said:
“All of you here must take the most enormous pride in your profession and in the part that you play in bringing joy, comfort, laughter, companionship and hope through your writing. You open our eyes to others’ experiences and remind us that we are not alone. 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.
“As some of you may know, my Reading Room started as a list of 9 of my favourite books, literally scribbled on a piece of paper during the first lockdown. It is now a global community of over 155,000, supported by internationally-renowned men and women of letters, as well as thousands of readers. I am now delighted to announce that the Reading Room has become a charity, working to close the gap between readers and writers and helping people of all ages and backgrounds find and connect to books. We have lots of excitements in the pipeline and I do very much hope you will be able to attend our first literary festival at Hampton Court Palace later this year, when we shall bring together some of the world’s foremost authors, actors, experts and literature lovers for a day celebrating the written word.”
On the 11th of June 2023, the new charity will stage its first literary festival, ‘The Queen’s Reading Room Festival’ at Hampton Court Palace, with speakers including Dame Judi Dench, David Olusoga, Kamila Shamsie, Austentatious, Ben Macintyre and Ken Follett.
Find out more about The Queen’s Reading Room.
