Queen Camilla's literary charity has revealed plans for a significant scientific investigation into how book clubs affect readers' minds and bodies.
The Queen's Reading Room, marking its fifth year in 2026, will conduct laboratory-based research exploring the physiological and psychological impact of group reading experiences.
Professor Sam Wass from the University of East London will spearhead the study, which aims to understand how communal reading sessions might transform participants' lives.
The research will specifically investigate whether gathering to discuss books together can ease stress levels, strengthen interpersonal bonds and boost overall mental health.
Queen Camilla charity launches scientific probe into power of book clubs
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The Bentley Foundation has partnered with the charity on this laboratory-controlled investigation.
Vicki Perrin, chief executive of The Queen's Reading Room, said the new research would "go further, exploring what happens when people gather to share stories and connect over the pages of a book".
Professor Wass explained the rationale behind the study: "While previous research has shown the benefits of reading alone, far less is known about the impact of shared reading on stress, social connection and mental wellbeing."
He added: "By applying rigorous neuroscientific methods to shared reading groups and book clubs, we aim to build a clearer evidence base for how these collective experiences shape connection and belonging."
The charity traces its roots to the first coronavirus lockdown in 2020
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This new investigation builds upon earlier neuroscience research commissioned by the charity in 2024, which produced striking results about solitary reading habits.
That study demonstrated that spending just five minutes with a fictional work could cut stress levels by almost a fifth, whilst enhancing concentration and focus by up to 11 per cent.
The findings also indicated that people who read on a regular basis experience significantly lower rates of loneliness compared to those who rarely pick up a book.
These earlier discoveries about individual reading now provide the foundation for examining whether shared literary experiences amplify such benefits further.
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| PAThe charity traces its roots to the first coronavirus lockdown in 2020, when Camilla jotted down nine of her favourite titles on a scrap of paper to share with the public.
This informal list evolved into an Instagram book club that officially launched in January 2021, creating an online gathering place for bibliophiles before gaining charitable status in 2023.
As the organisation celebrates its milestone anniversary, it has adopted "Make Room for Reading" as its birthday motto, encouraging people to incorporate brief daily reading sessions alongside other health habits like walking 10,000 steps.
The study's findings are due for publication by World Mental Health Day this October.