Her Royal Highness is very well known for her personal love of reading, for championing the importance of books and for supporting causes promoting reading and literacy for all, and we are simply delighted that she is now our new Royal Patron.

Her Royal Highness first saw the impact of our work on a visit to The Gambia in 2018, where she opened a new library at St. Joseph’s School in Banjul that was supported by the charity. A few photos from the visit are below:

We have always worked with our partners to create access to books where it is needed most – and with those books comes the chance for learning and literacy to flourish. We have updated our strategy to commit even more strongly to this fundamental mission and we are committed to sharing the power of books with the people most in need around the world – especially women and girls, and people fleeing conflict.

Her Royal Highness is a powerful advocate for the importance of books for everyone. It is especially meaningful and a very great honour that she has become our Patron as we start this new chapter in our story. 

Our former Patron, from 1966 until his death in April 2021, was His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. His Royal Highness visited our London warehouse, was present at a number of our events and was himself a great book lover. Our Vice Patron, Lord Paul Boateng, met Prince Philip on a number of occasions and he shared his reflections on what Royal Patronage means for our charity:   

I saw the impact at first hand of His Royal Highness Prince Philips’ Patronage on Book Aid International and its work, and I am glad that our proud history of Royal Patronage will now continue. We are grateful and honoured by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall’s support and hugely appreciative of her own work in furthering the love of books and writing in the Commonwealth and beyond

Lord Boateng, Book Aid International Vice Patron

We join Lord Boateng in thanking Her Royal Highness for her Patonage, and we look forward to many more years of working together.