On Monday, 20th June 2022, The Duchess of Cornwall attended The Daily Mail Chalke Valley History Festival. As part of the visit, Her Royal Highness introduced a fascinating discussion between authors, Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir, on the subject of 'Rediscovering Women in History’.
The Chalke Valley History Festival began in 2011 and is the largest festival in the world devoted entirely to history and the only festival to combine living history entertainment with literary talks and panels.
The Duchess was welcomed to the festival by a number of local dignitaries and festival organisers, before taking to the stage to say a few words, introduce the authors and officially open the festival.
Through their books, they have captivated literally millions of readers across the globe, including me, and they have given a voice to women who, for centuries, have been overlooked, forgotten or misunderstood.
During a question-and-answer session with the authors, Her Royal Highness asked some questions submitted by participants of The Duchess of Cornwall's Reading Room. In 2021, as part of her campaigning for literacy, The Duchess of Cornwall launched the Reading Room, a literary hub with a mission to help readers and non-readers alike find and connect with books they will love.
The Duchess of Cornwall then took time for a tour of the festival site, viewing the traditional crafts on display, and meeting some of the performers who were bringing history to life for the festival attendees.- including the thousands of children who attended the event as part of the 'History Festival for Schools' programme.
