Unexpected Star Joins Queen Camilla’s Reading Room in the Big Apple — and New York Won’t Be the Same
An iconic New York institution, a surprise celebrity appearance, and one child who had absolutely no problem speaking their mind to a king.
King Charles and Queen Camilla took their U.S. state visit to New York City on Wednesday, splitting up for a day of engagements before reuniting in the evening—and managing to make headlines on both ends of the city. However, what caught everyone’s attention was Camilla's stop at the New York Public Library, where she was joined by an unexpected guest: Sarah Jessica Parker, who joined the Queen in viewing historic items from the library's collection celebrating the ties between the United States and the United Kingdom.
The two toured the library's permanent treasures collection, which includes the original teddy bears belonging to Christopher Robin Milne, son of Winnie-the-Pooh author A.A. Milne. One bear, however, has long been missing. The original Roo doll disappeared after the library acquired the collection, and Camilla arrived with a replacement—a new Roo made by Merrythought, the British manufacturer behind the original toys. She also read an excerpt from Winnie-the-Pooh to local schoolchildren, joined by Jim Cummings, the voice of Pooh in the original animated film.
The visit extended into a reception for Camilla's charity, The Queen's Reading Room, drawing Anna Wintour, Jenna Bush, author Harlan Coben, and around 100 other guests from the literary and cultural world. Parker, a vocal advocate for reading, spoke warmly about the occasion. "Every time you shine a spotlight on reading and the relationship between a reader and a book and how it changes lives and enriches lives and cultivates empathy and curiosity, I'm so grateful," she said. "And for Her Majesty, it means a great deal."
Across town, the King headed to Harlem for a visit to Harlem Grown, a community organization that converts abandoned city lots into urban farms and runs after-school programming for local students. Charles met with founder Tony Hilliery, spoke with students, and helped children feed chickens at the charity's coop—a natural fit for a monarch who keeps his own chickens at home. He also watched a food education session and toured the organization's hydroponic lettuce walls.
The highlight, however, came during a quiet moment with one of the children. "I like your hair," the student told the King. "Do you? Good," Charles replied. The couple closed out their New York visit at the Greater Together Reception in partnership with The King's Trust, celebrating the United Kingdom's cultural presence in New York City and the work of King's Trust America. Earlier, the royal couple had begun their day on more solemn ground—paying their first-ever visit to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, which opened in 2011 and honors the lives lost in the attacks.
